Damaging 50+ MPH Winds, Flash Freeze To Target MA In Wild Storm: See Latest Forecast

MASSACHUSETTS — Heavy downpours and potentially damaging wind gusts topping 50 miles per hour will accompany a wild warm-up to near 60 degrees on Friday before temperatures crash back down late in the day.

The National Weather Service said strong southerly winds sustained at 20 mph will gust to 50 mph on the coast and Cape Cod and the Islands on Friday as temperatures spike.

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The NWS is forecasting a high of 58 degrees early in the day before the departing storm ushers in cold air Friday night, with temperatures falling into the 20s, and a flash freeze possible.

Rain totals are likely to exceed 1 inch across much of the state with downpours occurring between late Thursday night and Friday afternoon.

The next two days will be warmer than recent weeks, with a high of 44 degrees under mostly cloudy skies on Wednesday and a very nice Thursday on tap with sunny skies and a high of 50 degrees.

Rain will move in overnight on Thursday and last for much of the day on Friday before clearing with the colder temperatures on Friday night.

The weekend is looking seasonable for last-minute holiday shopping and activities with mostly sunny skies and a high of 40 on Saturday, and a high of 46 under clear skies on Sunday.

With much of the snow from recent storms melting during Friday's washout, the next, perhaps last, chance for a white Christmas comes on Tuesday with a chance of snow showers and temperatures in the 30s.

(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.)