Snow Tonight Ushers in Warmth, Rain

After single-digit, bitterly cold temperatures gripped Rhode Island for several days, a dramatic warmup is about to begin—but not before a sloppy, wintry mix.

The National Weather Service is forecasting snow beginning Monday evening with accumulations of about an inch before a changeover to sleet and freezing rain.

By the morning commute on Tuesday, temperatures will be in the mid 40s, which is a remarkable temperature swing for a region that saw record-breaking temperatures as low as -10 over the weekend.

Local meteorologist Jim Laurie said that the warm temperatures and precipitation on Tuesday could cause dense fog, so motorists are advised to be careful on the road.

The rain could get heavy at times. Combined with the warm temperatures, a lot of snow could melt, causing street flooding in some areas.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect beginning at 4 p.m. Monday and it will last until 1 a.m. Tuesday, which is about when the rapid temperature rise will be very noticable.

The weather service is warning of cold surfaces that will “quickly become slippery this evening” as snow and then sleet, and later, freezing rain overspread the region.