What To Expect From Nor'easter Hitting MA On Wednesday, Thursday

WORCESTER, MA — The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch, flood watch and coastal flood advisory for various parts of eastern Massachusetts with a nor'easter set to hit the state starting Wednesday.

The region will see periods of rain through Wednesday afternoon, but the real weather will begin to start Wednesday evening, with high winds and rain — and snow or sleet at higher elevations in Worcester and Middlesex counties.

"Impacts from this storm will be heavy wet snow over the higher elevations, damaging wind along the coast, minor to moderate coastal flooding and heavy rain with renewed river flooding concerns in RI and southeast MA. Winter storm watches were expanded to Worcester hill," the National Weather Service said in a forecast Tuesday afternoon.

By Thursday evening, forecasters are predicting up to 3 inches of rain across northern Worcester, Middlesex and Essex counties generally north of the Mass Pike. Wind gusts will reach near 50 between the Quabbin Reservoir and Worcester, with slightly lower gusts between Worcester and the Boston area. But winds will also be high along the coast, with gusts above 50 expected on the outer Cape.

The chance of snow is also in the forecast, but the best chance of any real accumulation will be in far northern Worcester County and the Berkshires. But up to 2 inches could still fall in the Worcester area and on the outside of the I-495 corridor, according to forecasts.

The winter storm watch will be in effect from 8 a.m. Wednesday until 8 p.m. Thursday for Worcester County north of the city of Worcester. The local flood watch will go into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday for the Charles River east and west of Dover.