Winter Weather Alert As Snowy Blast Could Bring MA White Christmas

MASSACHUSETTS — It will be slow going on the roads on a snowy Friday that could pave the way for a white Christmas in parts of Massachusetts as up to 4 inches of snow is followed by frigid temperatures and little chance of melting heading into the holiday.

The National Weather Service on Friday issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of eastern Massachusetts with up to 4 inches expected in areas where a coastal front sets up late in the afternoon.

The area includes Greater Boston, the North Shore, MetroWest, Merrimack Valley and areas south and west out to Worcester.

A widespread 2 to 4 inches of snow was expected in those areas — with lesser amounts on the South Shore and Cape Cod because of rain mixing and in the typical "snow belt" parts of northern Worcester County farther away from the storm.

While the storm is too far offshore to produce a big storm, nuisance snow is forecast throughout the day with heavier amounts around the time of the evening commute in areas just outside of Boston.

Roads may become slick during the heavier periods with slow travel urged.

Though Greater Boston has not had a white Christmas for several years, Friday's snow could end that drought with the coldest temperatures of the season to follow through the start of the holiday week.

Highs will be in the 20s Saturday through Monday with overnight lows bitterly cold in the single digits.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will see moderating temperatures into the 30s with a chance of rain or light snow showers on Christmas Eve and a sunny and pleasant Christmas Day, according to the NWS.

(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.)