Finally! Some rain on the way!

The WBZ Weather Team has issued a NEXT Weather Alert for the rainstorm coming on Thursday.

FINALLY!  For the first time in months, there is a significant soaker on its way to New England.  It has been two month since Boston received at least .5″ of rain from a single storm and more than three months since Boston received an inch of rain.

This event won’t be a “drought buster” but instead a “drought denter” and perhaps, the start of a new pattern.

RAIN TIMELINE:

The rain will arrive from southwest to northeast during Thursday morning.  It should overspread most of southern New England by Noon.

The heaviest rain will fall during Thursday afternoon and evening.  We expect a very wet PM commute with periods and areas of heavy downpours.

The band of rain will gradually pivot northward, with the heaviest shifting into New Hampshire overnight.

The entire storm system will be slow to exit the area.  There will be lingering clouds and showers Friday and early Saturday.

HOW MUCH?

Generally, between .5″ and 1.5″ for the entire area, most of which will fall midday Thursday through the first half of Thursday night.

IT WILL BE WINDY TOO…

Easterly wind gusts will increase during the day on Thursday, peaking late in the day and into the first half of Thursday night.

Expect gusts between 25-45mph, strongest and most frequent along the immediate Coastline.

YEP, THAT’S A SNOWMAP!

As colder air gets drawn into the storm late Thursday night and Friday, the rain will change to a wet snow in the higher elevations (generally above 1,500 feet).

There could be a coating to a few inches in the Berkshires, however, the most likely spot for some light snow accumulation will be in the higher elevations of the Green and White Mountains.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The storm system will be slow to exit the area over the Weekend.  With the center of the storm inching through the Gulf of Maine and towards Nova Scotia, we will see a drying trend but conditions will remain blustery both Saturday and Sunday.

Click here for Westford snow storm data and past totals or select “Winter Snowfall“ under “Pages” on the left hand side.

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