Winter Deep Freeze Likely Extends Into February Across MA: NWS

MASSACHUSETTS — While the harshest cold of the season may — hopefully — be behind New Englanders this winter there appears to be no major warmup on the way for those beaten down amid arctic blasts and sub-zero wind chills in recent weeks.

The good news for stressed pipes and car batteries is that the numbing cold of this week is behind us with moderating temperatures slowly making their way back toward seasonable averages over the next few days. But those looking for that January or even early February thaw — and winter weather more like the abnormally warm ones of the past two years — may have to look weeks down the road for any relief.

The 8- to 14-day temperature outlook that the National Weather Service released this week showed that even though much of the country — especially the snow-shocked deep South and Gulf Coast region — will likely rise above normal on the thermometer in the coming weeks, New England is projected to stay below normal.

If there is any hope for an early spring, the longer-range NWS forecast through Valentine's Day shows an equal chance of above- and below-normal temperatures with a higher increase of precipitation as we approach the middle of next month.

In another stunning weather anomaly, Boston officially sits at 12.5 inches of snow thus far — about what New Orleans got in a single, historic storm this week. No significant snow is in the forecast for at least the next seven days.

The immediate NWS forecast includes moderating temperatures and a slight warmup into next week.

Thursday and Friday will include highs near freezing with light winds making it seem relatively pleasant compared to the overnight depths that reached as low as minus-15 in parts of Massachusetts on Wednesday morning.

Saturday will be the chilliest day on the next stretch with a forecast high of 28 degrees before temperatures rise to near 38 on Sunday, and possibly 40 or higher on Monday and Tuesday with a gusty wind returning out of the warmer southwest direction.

(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.)