WIND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN HOISTED (HOISTED, I TELL YOU!) ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TOMORROW… RAIN QUITS BY NOON AND WE CLEAR INTO A MOSTLY SUNNY AFTERNOON AS WEST WINDS KICK UP… BLACK ICE PATCHES POSSIBLE BY TOMORROW MORNING… FAIR BUT COLD SAT. THROUGH MON., THEN SNOW AND ICE EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO FIRST HALF OF WEDNESDAY… (5:45am Fri)

TODAY’S DATE: Friday, February 8, 2019

TERRESTRIAL:
HIGH TEMPS: Highs should rise into the low 40s in the Berkshires/Taconics/Litchfields, western hilltowns, SVT/SWNH, and N. Worcester County, while we reach the upper 40s to low 50s for the Pioneer Valley floor down into northern CT and in S. Worcester County.

LOW TEMPS: Lows should drop into the teens region-wide

SKIES: Overcast early with rain and patchy fog, then mostly sunny skies develop as the afternoon wears on

WINDS: Breezy south wind will shift around to the west and northwest and gust 30-50mph at times later today, tonight, and tomorrow

NWS ALERTS: WIND ADVISORIES POSTED

CELESTIAL:
–OUR STAR WILL RISE AT: 6:55am this morning
–OUR STAR WILL SET AT: 5:13pm this evening
–OUR MOON WILL RISE AT: 8:59am this morning
–OUR MOON WILL SET AT: 8:54pm this evening
–MOON PHASE: Waxing Crescent

Good morning everybody, after rainfall moves out this morning, we will see clearing skies, colder temperatures, and stronger winds which will cause some isolated power outages tonight and tomorrow before the winds slacken. The weekend looks nice, as does Monday, but Tuesday PM into Wednesday AM is looking wintry, so let’s serve up a summary for mental consumption purposes.

SUMMARY:
–For today, rainfall along an incoming cold front associated with a storm passing to our north will sweep the region by noon or so
–Skies should clear this afternoon, and temperatures are expected to drop about 20 degrees from noon to dinner time
–Simultaneously, high pressure will move in quickly behind our departing front, causing a pressure gradient that will result in west winds sustained either side of 20mph, and gusting to 50mph at times
–As per usual, the high terrains are most likely to see the highest wind gusts
–Lows tonight will drop into the teens, and winds will continue to be gusty out of the west and northwest
–This will allow wind chills to fall to either side of the 0 degree mark, with single digits below zero possible in the high terrain, such as the Berkshires
–For tomorrow we’ll enjoy a sunny day, but west winds will continue to blow 35-50mph at times during the day, so it will be blustery!
–Lows Saturday night will drop into the single digits as slackening winds combine with low humidity and clear skies, thereby maximizing radiational cooling
–Sunday and Monday look fair and cold with mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 20s to low/mid 30s, with lows in the teens
–It’s possible that some folks south of the Pike see a period of snow showers Sunday night as a weak disturbance moves through
–A plowable snowfall for some continues to be possible Tuesday afternoon into the first half of Wednesday
–The strength of the parent low vs. the secondary low, their tracks, and other factors will ultimately determine how things shake out with this system
–Given the way the pattern has gone this winter, I have to assume for now that we will see snow mix with and change to either a period of icing or rain, with best chance of changeover to the south and east
–This storm does look to tap Gulf of Mexico moisture, so it will have some juice with it

I will continue to monitor next week’s system and keep you updated.

Have a great day!