See a live stream of snow in Boston.
A behemoth of a storm system thousands of miles wide and stretching from the Plains to the Northeast is bearing down on New England this morning, expecting to dump up to 2 feet of snow in parts through Monday, during one of the deepest cold spells of the season.
As this winter storm envelops the region, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire will see a foot to 18 inches of snow, with more, around 16 to 22 inches forecast for Greater Boston and the South Shore. Snow will fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches an hour into the evening.
One area to watch for possible power outages will be the South Coast, the Cape, and southern Rhode Island, where an uptick in temperatures could spark some wet, heavier flakes and some sleet that could take down some utility lines — mainly south of Route 44 and into the peninsula, and Westerly and Newport, too. Winds will turn a little gusty later Sunday night, which won’t help. Gusts could reach up to 40 mph overnight.
You can expect multiple school closings on Monday because no one will want to be on the road. This also allows local and state snowplows to clear the streets. On the plus side, this snow should be easier to shovel.
The National Weather Service in Boston advised those who don’t need to be out to stay off the roads because travel is becoming slick with reduced visibility.
The last time it snowed a foot or more in Boston in a single day was Jan. 29, 2022, when 23.6 inches of snow fell. But the highest snow total overall, for the Boston area sits at 27.6 inches, which fell in February 2003. We may not set a record this time around, but with large and fluffy flakes falling from the frigid atmosphere, snow will pile up quickly.
The core of this storm will make a tight pass to the south Sunday into Monday, sliding along Long Island and exiting over the Cape. But the snow field will be heaviest across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and we’ll see lighter snow extending into Northern New England.
High pressure should hold on long enough to our north to keep the warmer side of the storm out to sea.
Projected snowfall accumulations
Given just how cold the atmosphere will be and the sudden shot of moisture funneling across the frigid air, I can see at least a foot of fluffy snow across most of Southern New England, with a few areas reaching 16 to 22 inches. We may not get to 2 feet in Greater Boston, but the 20-inch mark is in play.
We should see multiple bands of heavy snow intensity at times, given the amount of moisture pumping into this system, paired with an onshore ocean effect. Right now, I’m leaning toward Boston, extending to the I-95 loop and along the North Shore, to see jackpot totals.
For folks in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, who have had more than their share of snowstorms this winter, you’ll certainly see accumulating snowfall, but most should see around a foot or so around the Mass. border, and lighter snow totals as you head north. The National Weather Service in Boston has issued winter storm warnings for most of New England from Sunday morning through Monday. With at least 10 to 16 inches of snow possible across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, “travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the Weather Service said.
Storm timeline
Some of the beginning snow will be very thin flakes that don’t quite accumulate at first, but that will be short-lived. Steady snow will begin falling in Boston around early afternoon and last through Monday. But come Monday morning, snow showers will be lighter and broken up.
As we’ve seen with many of our storms this winter, the core of this system will likely strengthen quickly as it hits the ocean, tapping into even more moisture from the warmer seas. This intensification will support some snow banding in scattered areas of Southern New England.
Sunday: Snow intensifies
• 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Coating to 2 inches through 3 p.m. for Greater Boston.
The snow intensifies across Southern New England, with steadier snow beginning to fall in Boston around early to mid-afternoon and lasting through early Monday. Snow will fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches an hour into the evening.
It will be very cold on Sunday, with highs ranging in the teens to the low 20s. Temperatures rise to the low 20s across Greater Boston to Providence, but remain in the teens the farther west you go. Conditions will deteriorate further as this timeframe progresses.
• 7 p.m. into the overnight — 4-8 inches of snow by 9 p.m. for the Boston area.
The snow continues to fall, with heavy bands at times, across Southern New England. Even most of Northern New England will be engulfed in steady snowfall during this stretch, especially from 7 p.m. to about midnight, but the snow should be lighter by dawn.
The winds will begin to pick up during the late evening and into the overnight hours across Southern New England, with gusts reaching 20 to 40 mph at times. Wind chills return to the low teens across Greater Boston and into the single digits to the west.
Monday: Snow showers
Southern New England can generally expect another 1 to 4 inches of snow on Monday.
A dry slot will cause a lull in the precipitation, likely early Monday. Then we’ll see some backside snow showers in bunches throughout the day. The intensity of the snowfall should lighten up. This will be an opportunity to clean up, but final flakes may not fall until late in the afternoon or early evening.
You’ll want to bundle up when you head out to clear walkways and the cars on Monday, with temperatures likely rising to the low and mid-20s across the region.
Snow, gusty winds could cause power outages
There could be a few isolated power outages, because even though the snow will be fluffy, we’ll start to get some weight to the snowpack. Plus, it will become windy. We won’t be dealing with crazy numbers here, but gusting winds of 30 to 40 mph or higher could cause some isolated outages overnight Sunday into Monday.
One area to watch for a few more outages would be the South Coast and the Cape, where a tick up in temperatures could spark some wet, heavier flakes and some sleet that could take down some lines — mainly south of Route 44 and into the peninsula. This would include Westerly and Newport, R.I.
Please make sure you’re signed up to receive severe weather alerts for your area. For New England, check the Globe’s severe weather tracker here. You can also receive National Weather Service alerts on your cellphone — for iPhone users, be sure “Emergency Alerts” and “Public Safety Alerts” are turned on under settings and notifications. For Android users, go under settings, then Apps and Notifications, and turn on “Allow Alerts.”
Join Globe lead meteorologist Ken Mahan and an expert panel of top weather and climate science leaders on Jan. 29 for an in-depth discussion on New England’s changing seasons and how climate change has transformed our region’s landscape. The free event will take place at 6 p.m. at the New England Aquarium. Sign up here.
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.