Arctic Blast To Put MA In Deep Freeze With Coldest Weather Of Season

MASSACHUSETTS — While a midweek warmup will be a welcome reprieve from the recent cold for many, the harsh reality of winter is waiting right around the corner for the weekend across Massachusetts.

Temperatures were forecast to be unseasonably mild on Tuesday with highs in the 50s with a pleasant day in the high 40s set for Wednesday. After a bout of light rain — with a chance of snow in the farthest northern and western reaches of central Massachusetts — Wednesday night, another decent day is on tap for Thursday with sun and temperatures rebounding into the 40s.

But that will all change on Friday as the first true arctic cold front of the season brings a brief blast of snow followed by very windy, very frigid temperatures through the weekend and early into Christmas week.

Once the snow clears Friday night, the temperatures will plummet with highs Saturday in the low 30s and wind chills expected to be much colder with a harsh northwest wind, according to the National Weather Service.

The peak of the bone-chilling air mass will hit New England on Sunday and Monday when the temperature will not make it out to the teens for much of the area and overnight lows with be in the single digits to near zero degrees.

Temperatures are expected to slowly moderate during the holiday week with highs in the 30s for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and perhaps back in the 50s for the end of the week.

Chances of a white Christmas appear slim for many with the best chance of light snow accumulations on Friday, which may last on the ground through the holiday only because of the extreme cold to follow.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)