MA Weather: High Winds, Plunging Temps As Cold Spell Moves In

Massachusetts is in the midst of its best day of the week, but Wednesday night will see some light accumulating snow followed by intense wind gusts Thursday leading into a frigid Friday.

The snow is expected to be less than an inch and Eastern Massachusetts may not even get that much, so there's little reason to worry about any school closings or delays due to that. But rain is also expected; The National Weather Service said the precipitation will move in late Wednesday and last into Thursday morning.

Once things dry, the wind will begin picking up in full force. Wind gusts between 45-55 miles per hour are expected Thursday, when low temperatures are already expected to be in the teens. A wind advisory is expected for Thursday, the NWS said.

That leads into a sunny, but frigid, Friday, when wind chills are expected to be in the negative double-digits.

After that, expect a "plowable" amount snow Saturday, according to the NWS. Snow estimates for the weekend storm are not yet out.

While things should clear up into next week, temperatures will stay more seasonably cold. The high temperature through Wednesday is 31 degrees in Boston.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is going to be mostly sunny with highs in the mid-20s.

Boston-area forecast via NWS

Today - Sunny, with a high near 49. West wind 6 to 9 mph.

Tonight - Rain and snow likely, mainly after 3am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 33. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Thursday - A chance of rain and snow before 10am, then a slight chance of rain after noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a southwest wind 9 to 14 mph becoming northwest 19 to 24 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Thursday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 17. Blustery, with a northwest wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.

Friday - Sunny, with a high near 24. Northwest wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Friday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 9. Northwest wind 5 to 13 mph.

Saturday - Snow likely, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night - Rain and snow, becoming all rain after midnight. Low around 30. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday - A chance of rain before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 41. West wind 7 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. West wind around 10 mph.

M.L.King Day - Mostly sunny, with a high near 26. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 22. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.