Weekend Snow, Polar Vortex Arctic Blast To Hit MA With Winter Wallop

MASSACHUSETTS — The harshest weather of the winter season is on the way to Massachusetts over the next few days as a piece of polar vortex cold does not spare New England as it envelopes the country early next week.

Temperatures will struggle to reach 20 degrees for a two-plus-day stretch late next Monday night into Wednesday with overnight lows near zero and wind chills struggling to escape the single digits each day, according to AccuWeather.

"The cold outbreak will occur right smack in the middle of what is historically the coldest part of the winter," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson said.

As the frigid air passes over open waters, ice will increase on rivers, ponds and lakes. However, the ice buildup may be gradual, so the ice could be dangerously thin for a time.

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"The frigid air may set the stage for significant ice jams in the weeks ahead with some rebound in temperatures and thaws likely for February," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham warned. "The level and extensiveness of the frigid air may be tough to match the rest of the winter."

There will be a bit of a reprieve before that, however, with lighter winds making it feel less bitter on Thursday despite highs near freezing.

Temperatures will rise to the mid-30s with light wind on Friday and then soar into the upper 40s on Saturday with a bout of rain moving through New England later in the day.

The first half of Sunday is shaping up to be pleasant with highs near 42 before a swath of snow moves into southern New England later Sunday into early Monday. While not a major storm, there could be 1 to 3 inches of snow during that stretch with the highest amounts in eastern Massachusetts as the main slug of snow passes out to sea.

Monday will be sunny and colder with a high of 26 degrees before the brunt of the arctic air arrives Monday night and lasts through Wednesday.

The National Weather Service said Tuesday will have a high of 18 degrees with northwest winds gusting to 20 miles per hour — making it feel closer to zero.

Wednesday will be another frigid one with highs near 20 and a persistent west wind.

Temperatures should moderate toward the end of next week with AccuWeather providing some hope with long-range experts saying that a warming trend is expected by the end of January into early February.

(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.)