Thanksgiving Winter Storm: What To Expect Across MA?

MASSACHUSETTS — A strong winter storm that could bring heavy snow to parts of the Northeast and threatens to disrupt holiday travel across the region is shaping up to be more wet than white in eastern and central Massachusetts.

The National Weather Service is calling for mostly rain in Boston and the surrounding suburbs on Thanksgiving with the best chance of any heavy wet snow mixing in coming in northern Worcester County, the Berkshires, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The next two days will be above-normal temperatures with a period of rain possible for those looking to get a jump on holiday travel on Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday should be a great day for travel with mostly sunny skies and highs near 50 degrees.

Rain will arrive on Thursday. But at this point, the storm's expedited track puts it well ahead of the shot of cold air necessary to make it a winter wonderland for Thanksgiving. Instead, it is shaping up as a mostly damp day with a chance of rain near 80 percent, a persistent south wind up to 10 mph, and highs in the upper 40s.

Clear and colder weather will follow with Black Friday now appearing like a good bet for mall hopping with highs in the upper 40s, before a brisk and sunny weekend with highs near 40 degrees both days.

(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.)