A very impressive (for late-March) cold front will push through New England throughout tonight. This front will bring winter-like temperatures, strong winds and the potential for snow squalls.
As the front approaches this evening, the threat for snow squalls ramps up. This threat will be centered around Vermont. Northern and central Vermont is looking at the potential for widespread and intense squalls. The National Weather Service of Burlington states:
"While there is a lack of phasing from the southern stream energy, we now have high confidence of a rather significant snow squall threat."
While the snow squall threat is greatest in Vermont, more isolated squalls remain possible across New Hampshire, particularly in the White Mountains, and even western and Central Massachusetts. These squalls will produce locally heavy snowfall for a 10-15 minute period. A very quick inch of snow is possible anywhere a squall hits. The National Weather Service of Boston states:
"Model simulated reflectivity from the Hi res guid indicates a very robust squall line of rain/snow moving across the NY/MA border 7pm-10pm, but then slowly weakening as short wave trough lifts northeast along the Canadian/northern New England border. This is where the forecast uncertainty exist - we know the squall line will weaken as it traverses eastward, but how quickly it weakens is somewhat uncertain."
The key to the snow squall line, which will move across the region similar to a line of thunderstorms in the summer, is that the line will be most intense as it enters northwest Vermont. The line will gradually weakens as it pushes south and east.
The further south and east you are in New England, the less likely the squalls are to reach you. Lower elevations of northern New England and southern New England will likely see a rain/snow mix or rain before switching to snow as the front pushes through.
The general time frame for snow squalls across the region will be 8pm-3am. Before the front pushes through, there is a chance of rain showers and even an isolated thunderstorm or two sparking up across the region this afternoon. The greatest chance for this occurring will be 3pm-7pm.
Another issue with this front will be gusty winds. A brief period of 40-50mph gusts are possible as the front pushes through. I want to emphasize the word "brief". Once the front pushes past, gusts will quickly lose their intensity, which is why wind advisories are currently not posted anywhere in New England.
This front will set up a cold and breezy Thursday. Wind gusts will hang around throughout the day region-wide. This comes just in time for the Red Sox season opener at Fenway. It will be cold and breezy, with wind chills in the 30s for the game.
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