A Nor’easter is slated to hit New England this week, just as temperatures were steadily rising. Up to three feet of snow may fall in parts of New England.
Due to the mix of precipitation and high winds reaching up to 55 miles-per-hour, meteorologists deem this a “nor’easter.” However, Boston is unlikely to see snow due to the coastal effects but can expect anywhere from one to three inches of rain on Wednesday into Thursday.
Despite the impossibly challenging task of forecasting New England, the Farmer’s Almanac did issue a possibility of a strong April Nor’easter in its annual weather report.
When will the nor’easter hit New England?
Tuesday night will have mild precipitation that will be on and off throughout the early hours of the morning. Around 8 AM on Wednesday, April 3, the real storm begins. After 8 AM precipitation will fall heavily all day on Wednesday and Thursday.
Will it snow?
Yes. Some parts of New England will have snow, and a lot of it! These are higher elevation areas like New Hampshire, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts. Central Massachusetts will like have a slippery wintery mix. Boston is only predicted to have rainfall at the moment.
How much precipitation is predicted?
With precipitation all day on Wednesday and most of Thursday, there’s a lot of downfall from this nor’easter. Here are some predicted precipitation levels:
- Boston: 2 inches of rain
- Worcester: 8 inches of snow
- Pittsfield and north: over 1 foot of snow
- New Hampshire: 3 feet of snow
The snow that does fall will be wet and heavy, great for playing but atrocious for shoveling. Because the ground is so saturated with the non-stop rain we’ve experienced, it’s likely there will also be localized flooding. The last major April snow took place in 2016.
How strong are the winds?
Wind gusts during Wednesday and Thursdays New England Nor’easter may reach up to 55-miles-per-hour.
When will the storm watch end?
The storm is expected to phase out early Friday morning and a warming trend follows. Hopefully it stays nice and dry (but not too hot) for the marathoners and clear for the upcoming solar eclipse!
While it is April 1 and we’ve issued one a many April Fool’s teases, this is not one of them. Pull out that winter coat if you already put it away. You’re going to need it this week.