Snow in April?
Parts of Bay State could get 6-plus inches tonight
Don’t put away those shovels quite yet.
A mid-April storm is set to bring snow to parts of Massachusetts tonight into Friday, with a possible 6-plus inches of the white stuff dropping on higher elevations in western parts of the state.
“Yes, we are anticipating some snow for mid-April,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kristie Smith, who’s based in NWS Boston’s Norton office.
“It is unfortunately what we deal with here in New England,” she added. “People always think, ‘It’s April and we won’t see snow,’ but sometimes we get kicked in the heinie with snow.”
A winter storm watch is in effect from this evening through Friday evening for the western parts of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.
Heavy, wet snow is possible, and travel could be difficult. Some power outages are possible.
Widespread rain should move into the region today and switch over to snow after sunset. By midday Friday, the snow should be wrapped up, and the precipitation will turn back to rain.
While 6-plus inches of snow is possible in the highest elevations of western Mass., portions of Worcester County in the higher terrain could get 2 to 3 inches, with a possible 5 inches near the New Hampshire border.
“It’s not too uncommon to see measurable snow in April,” Smith said, citing the 10 inches of snow for Worcester County in 2016, and 4.7 inches last year.
Boston in April 2016 saw 6.6 inches of snow.
Because of the recent warmer conditions, it will be tougher for the snow to accumulate on pavements in central Mass., Smith said.
The 6 inches in western Mass. should melt during the weekend when milder temps return.
“Hopefully it doesn’t stick around too long,” Smith said.
Today’s slow-moving storm system will bring widespread heavy rainfall to the Boston area late tonight into Friday. The region could see 1 to 2 inches of rainfall.
“It will be a pretty significant rain event considering we haven’t had much rain in the last few weeks, and things have dried out,” Smith said.
State officials a few days ago declared a Level 2 Significant Drought in the southeast region of Massachusetts and a Level 1 Mild Drought in the western, Connecticut River Valley, central, northeast and Cape Cod regions.
Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theo-harides said in a statement, “In most regions across the Commonwealth, dry conditions have set in again, and it is important that we all take water conservation steps now to lessen its potential impacts on our environment and water supplies, and to take extra precautions when using an open flame or cooking on a grill to prevent wildfires.”