Massachusetts drought won't end with the long-awaited rain, but it will help
BOSTON - There is finally significant rain in the weather forecast for the drought in Massachusetts. Some towns might even see a little snow.
Boston drought
It's been two months since Boston received at least .5" of rain from a single storm and more than three months since the city has had an inch of rain.
This event won't be a "drought buster" in Massachusetts but more like a "drought denter" and, perhaps, the start of a new pattern.
When will it rain?
The rain arrived from southwest to northeast across Massachusetts on Thursday morning. It will be raining steadily or heavily just about everywhere by the afternoon.
The heaviest rain will fall through the evening. We expect a very wet afternoon commute with periods of heavy downpours in the Boston area.
The band of rain will gradually pivot northward, with the heaviest rain shifting into New Hampshire early Friday morning.
The entire storm system will be slow to exit the area. There will be lingering clouds and showers Friday and early Saturday.
How much rain?
Generally, we can expect between .5" and 1.5" for most of Massachusetts. Most of the rain will fall midday Thursday through the first half of Thursday night.
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 20 miles per hour and 40 mph, with the strongest and most frequent along the immediate coastline.
When will it snow?
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 in western Massachusetts. 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.
