Storm warning in Mass., high winds and snow for some

Another round of wicked wind returns tonight into Thursday morning. A low pressure system moves across northern New England and into the Gulf of Maine this evening. 

As it moves out towards the Canadian Maritimes tonight, the low rapidly strengthens undergoing “bombogenesis.” A high pressure system heads our way from the southwest and will create tight pressure gradients — the pressure gradient force. 

Further explained: air flows from high pressure to low pressure. The bigger the difference, the stronger the winds. And we’re in the middle, as the air is funneled across the northeast, so westerly and northwesterly wind will be as high as 20-40 mph sustained, with gusts 50-60 mph. 

The worst of the wind is 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. across southern and central New England, so watch for trash cans blowing over, power outages, or damage to trees. Gusty winds remain for Thursday afternoon — 20-40 mph gusts, with the higher terrain getting the worst of the wind. The wind dies down for Friday afternoon at least. 

Temperatures go from the upper 50s under a cloudy sky, to the 40s overnight. With the quick low pressure system skirting by to the north of Boston, a quick hitting cold front will sweep isolated storms through between 9 p.m. and midnight. A few storms could be severe with damaging wind, but the wind direction rapidly changes from the southwest to the west as the front goes by tonight. 

Temps drop to the 40s for most tomorrow afternoon. With the wind it will feel like the upper 30s.  Temps rebound a bit to the 50s on Friday, then low 60s for this weekend. 

Precipitation continues to fall in northern New England in the form of mainly rain and a wintry mix in the mountains this evening. Then we see temps drop overnight enough to get us to snowfall in the mountains through Thursday morning. A few inches of snow, to around a foot on top of Mount Washington is expected. 

We’re dry Friday across Boston, then another quick low pressure system brings in rain early Saturday.  And a third system brings us rain for Sunday into Monday. After that burst of rain, the door is opened to cold air with next week’s lows in the 20s, highs in the 40s.