Spring may be officially here, but New England and the surrounding area are currently facing a wintry weather mix on Saturday. More than a foot of snow is expected in some areas, while southern regions and the coast are dealing with rain, wind, and potential flooding.
The National Weather Service in Maine has issued a warning for hazardous travel conditions, as ice is forming inland from the coast on top of existing snow and sleet.
Further inland, meteorologists are predicting snowfall ranging from one to two feet in the mountains of western Maine, northern areas, and the White Mountains. Maura Casey, a lead forecaster at the weather service in Gray, Maine, shared this information.
In the lakes region of New Hampshire extending into Maine, snow totals are expected to be slightly lower, ranging from six inches to a foot, with sleet and freezing rain mixing in.
"There's a significant difference in snow amounts between coastal areas and mountainous regions," Casey explained.
Throughout Connecticut, New York City, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, the upcoming storm is anticipated to primarily bring rain, with a chance of freezing precipitation in the early hours of the day in western and central Massachusetts before transitioning to all rain.
The most intense rainfall is predicted for late afternoon and evening, extending over Connecticut and western and central Massachusetts from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time, and over Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Rain may persist over Cape Cod and Nantucket until midnight.
"After a dry overnight period, sunshine is expected to emerge," stated Frank Nocera, the lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts. Nevertheless, Sunday is expected to be windy with temperatures cooler than usual for late March, he added.
The storm is projected to completely clear out of the New England area by Sunday morning.
There exists a potential for flooding across the region, including in far southern New Hampshire where morning snow and sleet could obstruct storm drains for the heavier rainfall expected in the afternoon, according to the weather service.
The rainfall could also lead to swollen rivers in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. Flood watches have been issued by the weather service for Connecticut and parts of New York.
This storm arrives at the tail end of the winter season in some Northeast areas, such as Boston, which experienced minimal snowfall and warmer temperatures.
Following a wave of snow and freezing rain in northern New England, several states including Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin were placed under winter weather advisories earlier in the week.
This sudden change in weather comes after a chaotic winter, where record high temperatures in February led to activities like golfing in Wisconsin and the operation of outdoor food trucks in Minnesota.
