Weekend Snowstorm Up To 8+ Inches To Follow Icy, Snowy Mix Across MA

MASSACHUSETTS — An ill-timed mix of snow, ice, sleet and freezing fog — totaling between 2 and 4 inches across most of Massachusetts — could be followed by a much bigger snowstorm slamming southern New England ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.

Dozens of schools across eastern and central Massachusetts were closed on Thursday as snow arrived shortly after the morning commute and was expected to continue through the afternoon with sleet and freezing rain mixing in closer to the coast.

After a brief respite on Friday and Sunday with sun, cold and wind, the next system is set to move in late Saturday night and provide perhaps the biggest thumping of snow in more than three years upon parts of Greater Boston.

The National Weather Service forecast on Thursday morning was calling for snow, mainly after midnight, that could be heavy at times. The NWS said the chance of precipitation is 90 percent with "new snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible."

The snow should be wrapped up by late Sunday morning — allowing plenty of time for shoveling ahead of those Super Bowl parties on Sunday night.

(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.)