Boston residents are bundling up as another wave of intense cold grips the city. According to a forecast by the National Weather Service, today's high will struggle to reach 22 degrees, with wind chill values dipping as low as -8. This evening, the temperature is expected to drop even further to a low around 7 degrees, accompanied by wind chill values that could feel as low as -2. The relentless chill continues through Thursday and Friday, with temperatures barely climbing into the low 20s during the day and plummeting to around -1 Friday night.
Looking toward the weekend, the forecast suggests mostly sunny skies with daytime highs hovering around 22 degrees and nighttime lows around 12 degrees. However, by Sunday, residents may need to brace for more than just the cold. "A chance of snow" has been flagged by the National Weather Service, with cloudy conditions and a high near 28 degrees.
The big question that remains is the possibility of a major snow event. As per a WHDH weather blog, a strong coastal storm brewing off the Carolina/mid-Atlantic coast holds the potential for significant snowfall and high winds, especially if the storm tracks just south of Nantucket. The article stresses the uncertainties involved in predicting the path of the storm and its potential impact on the Boston area, citing ensemble models and indicating a "50/50 split in bringing in a major storm vs. not much at all."
An additional concern is coastal flooding, driven by a "tremendous pressure difference between the high to our north and low to our south," as stated by the WHDH weather blog. The blog warns of an increased risk of coastal flooding if the storm's proximity increases, coinciding with astronomically high tides. The situation remains fluid, with Bostonians advised to stay informed as the weather developments unfold over the next few days.
