‘Dramatic turn’: Bitterly cold air behind damaging rain storm

Terry Eliasen, meteorologist and WBZ-TV executive.weather producer

BOSTON – I don’t know about you, but I know it’s hard to feel holly and jolly holiday when it’s pouring rain outside. A few hours before Santa arrives, he’s sending us this “Grinchmas” storm.

Thousands of flight delays and cancellations, tens of thousands of flight delays and cancellations blackout In Massachusetts alone, there have been dozens of reports of flooded roads and fallen trees and limbs….not the ideal way to start a holiday weekend.

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I have good news for you. We have had the heaviest rains and the worst inland flooding is already happening.

Later today, the weather story will take a dramatic turn. The frigid air that invaded much of the Midwest reaches New England here. The temperature suddenly drops from the 50°C range to the 20°C range, and then it returns to winter.

I know everyone has a lot of things to do, places to go, people to see… Let me introduce you to all the weather changes that are coming.

Friday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Arctic air rushes in. Temperatures drop by around 30 degrees in just 1-2 hours. The wind is blowing back and shifting to the WSW, with gusts of 30 to 50 mph. For those off the coast, the gust will be more dramatic than this morning. Expect another round of scattered damage reports, limb downs, etc.

Given the sudden drop in temperature, there is a minor concern that some roads and surfaces may freeze.

Finally, a few snow showers and squalls are possible along the Arctic front this evening. Even a pile of snow can make roads dangerous in some isolated areas.

Friday night

It’s terribly cold. In fact, the coldest air of the season. Temperatures drop from 10 degrees to single digits and wind chills below freezing. Ocean-effect snow showers are possible on the Cape and Islands (bringing from very cold air flowing over relatively calm seas). A few places could get an inch of snow coated later tonight or Saturday.

Saturday

Midwinter feeling. Highs get stuck in the 20s, wind chills in his teens and he’s in the single digits. Winds remain brisk, with gusts of 20 to 30 mph per day throughout the day.

Christmas

Even more the same. Highs are in the twenties, mostly teens with cool, biting gusts of wind. This will be the coldest Christmas in almost a decade.