No Storms In Sight
It was a fascinating 36-hour spell of howling gusts which exceeded 60 mph in spots. I really enjoy listening to the lashing northwesterly winds on the back side of a storm especially when they blow and drift the fluffy snow. It reminds me of my years growing up in the countryside of Maine where wind-whipped snow would create giant drifts across exposed roadways. I actually drove through some decent drifts on some town roads on my way home last night. It was fun. Over the next 24 hours, it will be gone with the wind as the giant storm weakens and shifts farther away from the region. Although still blustery tonight, it will not be nearly as harsh as last night when it felt more like 5 to 10 degrees below zero. Expect low temperatures in the upper teens in many of the suburbs to near 25 in Boston tonight with a recovery to the middle 30s tomorrow. After today's blinding sunshine in a deep blue clear sky, there may be some patchy clouds in places tomorrow.
The good news for most people is that we are entering a quiet period of no storms in sight for perhaps up to 10 days to two weeks. Over our portion of the globe, it appears that the atmosphere will have limited parcels of energy to work with so a benign stretch is in the offing. There will be a weak cold frontal passage Sunday morning when a few rain showers will be released. Beyond that, I only see a slight risk that some light snow may fall for a few hours next Wednesday. For the remainder of this year, a warming trend will continue to unfold. This Thursday, it will warm up to near or slightly over 40 degrees followed by the upper 40s on the last day of 2010. With a ridge of high air pressure over the Northeast, the breeze will be slight and the sun will shine much of the time. For First Night celebrations, it will be cooling through the 30s to be near 36 in Boston and near 28-30 in the suburbs as we ring in 2011 at midnight. New Year's Day will be mild with highs flirting with 50 in many areas. After that, any rain will be gone in time for the Patriots Game Sunday afternoon with temperatures then around 40-45 as a brisk westerly wind develops. The mini-January thaw will be over by Monday when the highs retreat to near freezing.
For the skiers and boarders, you will find powder and packed powder on the slopes for the rest of the holiday vacation week. Some resorts way up north received a huge load of snow Sunday night and Monday with 20-30 inches at places like Sugarloaf, Saddleback, Sunday River and Cannon. My favorite alpine and nordic ski getaway, TheMount Washington Resort @ BrettonWoods reported 36" of fresh super light powder! SWEET!!! Some other areas have great conditions but not all of the terrain is open such as the steeper glades. Check with your favorite places and have a safe and fun time on the trails!
Have a good night!
