Major Winter Storm To Follow Near-Record High Temperatures This Week

Perhaps the wildest week of weather in this up-and-down winter is set to begin, with windy rain storms, near-record high temperatures and nearly a foot of snow on deck.

Most of Tuesday will be a typical mild February day, but rain will arrive in the late afternoon from the west and intensify in the early evening.

The rain will be heavy at times and accompanied by strong wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour before tapering off Wednesday morning. A wind advisory will be in effect for Eastern Massachusetts from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m.

Some showers may persist into early Wednesday afternoon, but then comes the big dryout.

Forecasters are calling for near-record high temperatures close to 70 degrees, with Boston reaching 67 and Worcester 64. Just a nudge warmer and it'll be the hottest Feb. 23 on record, breaking marks set in 2017.

Just two days after those potentially record highs, a significant winter storm will make its way through. Exact timing and accumulation are still unknown, but for now snow is expected to start during the Friday morning commute.

Some forecasters are calling for as much as 18 inches of snow in southwestern parts of the state, with 6-12 inches of snow north of Boston. Warmer temperatures are expected to make for a wintry mix later in the day south of the city. Boston 25 is expecting those temperatures to dip, meaning higher snow totals could extend farther south.

Forecasts via National Weather Service

BOSTON

Today — Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tonight — Showers, mainly before 2am. Areas of fog after 5am. Temperature rising to around 55 by 1am. Breezy, with a south wind 13 to 18 mph increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 47 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday — A slight chance of showers between noon and 2pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Southwest wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday Night — Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Northwest wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Thursday — Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

Thursday Night — A chance of snow before 1am, then rain, possibly mixed with snow between 1am and 4am, then snow after 4am. Low around 28. Light northeast wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday — Snow, mainly before 5pm. High near 36. East wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Friday Night — A chance of snow before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

WORCESTER

Today — Showers likely, mainly after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. East wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight — Showers, mainly before 1am. Temperature rising to around 54 by 1am. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wednesday — A slight chance of showers between noon and 2pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a southwest wind 13 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday Night — Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Thursday — Partly sunny, with a high near 34. North wind 5 to 7 mph.

Thursday Night — Rain, possibly mixed with snow, becoming all snow after 4am. Low around 25. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Friday — Snow, mainly before 4pm. High near 33. East wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Friday Night — A chance of snow before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.