Don’t put away those winter boots just yet, as another winter storm is on the way Sunday.
Following a period of wintry precipitation that dropped both snow and rain on communities across Massachusetts on Thursday and Friday, dry and seasonable weather returned to the state after sunrise Saturday. However, the mild conditions won’t last long, as a strong coastal storm is expected to hit the state and much of New England with more snow and rain late Sunday into Monday night, according to forecasters.
“While most of the weekend will be dry, we turn our attention to the next storm late Sunday-Monday,” the National Weather Service said in a tweet. “Here’s a first cut at expected snow totals, with mostly rain expected again across the coastal plain. Northern Worcester County & the Berkshires can expect accumulating snow.”
Heavy rain, gusty winds, possible coastal flooding and accumulating snow are expected in Massachusetts. Rain is forecast throughout most of the state, but residents in communities in higher terrains, including the Berkshires, could see more significant snow accumulations, the National Weather Service said.
The storm system is expected to begin its sweep through southern New England late Sunday and depart offshore Monday night. The Weather Service’s expected snowfall maps show from 7 p.m. Sunday to 7 p.m. Monday, no snow is forecast to accumulate in Eastern Massachusetts, including in Boston and on the Cape and Islands, but as much as 2-3 inches could fall in the Berkshires, the Hilltowns of the Pioneer Valley and northern Franklin and Worcester counties. Springfield and Worcester should see an inch or less of snow.
The best shot for accumulating snowfall is across higher-terrain areas, where there is a 20-80% chance of 1 or more inches of snow and a roughly 10-50% chance of 4-plus inches. At this point, the risk of 6 or more inches of snow is highest across far northwestern Massachusetts, according to meteorologists.
Strong wind gusts are also expected, and it’s not out of the question portions of the region may need a wind advisory to be issued, the Weather Service noted. On Monday, gusts should reach as high as 33 miles per hour in Hyannis on Cape Cod, 31 mph in Boston, 30 mph in Worcester and 29 mph in Springfield.
The combination of the strong winds and high astronomical tides is expected to result in coastal flooding issues. A coastal flood advisory remains in effect for eastern Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth and Barnstable counties as well as Nantucket until noon Saturday.
“The progressive nature of the [storm] system and timing could mitigate this risk, but [it] will be something we need to closely monitor,” the Weather Service’s website says about Sunday and Monday’s storm.
The weather should be drier and cooler Tuesday, with high temperatures ranging from the mid-30s to the mid-40s. However, another storm system is expected to move into the region by the middle to late portion of next week.
From Wednesday to Thursday, there will be “another shot for a strong coastal storm” somewhat similar to the one expected Sunday and Monday, the Weather Service said. However, the forecast is subject to significant change more than 72 hours out.
“At this point still seeing uncertainty in the exact track, timing and intensity of the system moving through,” the Weather Service’s website notes.
