Wintry Mix Next Week Ends Freak Warm Spell

Photo: At left, minimum snowfall projections. At right, maximum snowfall projections. Images via National Weather Service on Saturday night.

RHODE ISLAND—Floridian weather accompanying Christmas will be a distant memory for Rhode Islanders trudging to work Tuesday morning as forecasters are predicting wintry weather that could bring snow, sleet and freezing rain.

While measurable accumulations of snow are possible for some parts of Rhode Island, the National Weather Service is suggesting that snowfall totals will likely be meager and below two inches for most of the state, if not negligible. Snow early Tuesday will give way to rain later in the day and coastal communities could see whatever fell melted away by Wednesday.

The biggest impact will be during Tuesday morning’s commute. The National Weather Service’s Hazardous Weather Outlook indicates that snow, sleet and freezing rain will impact a majority of southern New England before transitioning to rain. Any accumulation will be the first this winter season and comes less than a week after many Rhode Islanders were doing their last-minute Christmas shopping in T-Shirts.

Local meteorologist Jim Laurie said that one reason that there won’t be much accumulation on Tuesday is because “the ground will simply be too warm.

“As we move into the commute, warmer air from the south will move into Southern New England. So, we will see that wintry mix change to all rain by 9 a.m.,” he said. “A secondary low forms off the Jersey shore, keeping warmer air. We will see showers and light rain until it ends after 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.”

Until then, temperatures will stay above-average on Sunday with highs in the 50s.