Temperate, clear weather in Massachusetts on Thursday is expected to take a dark turn later on as a storm system brings a downpour and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service.
Low temperatures in the low 20s to 30s Wednesday night are predicted to rise into the mid to high 40s on Thursday amid sunny skies, the weather service said. Lows in the low 40s and patchy fog are expected that night.
Western Massachusetts is predicted to begin experiencing rain first, around 1 a.m. on Friday, according to the weather service. Central Massachusetts is expected to see the downpour next, around 2 a.m., while Eastern Massachusetts is predicted to get precipitation around 3 a.m. The southeastern-most parts of the state aren’t expected to see rain until around 5 a.m. Friday.
The Cape and Islands are predicted to experience the strongest winds during the storm, according to the weather service. Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected, and a High Wind Watch is set to go into effect for this part of the state sometime Friday morning and last through the afternoon.
The rest of Massachusetts is expected to be under a wind advisory from 4 a.m. Friday until 1 a.m. Saturday. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible Friday morning and evening, and the Berkshires and Worcester Hills could see gusts up to 60 mph during the latter burst.
During this time, damaging winds could blown down trees and power lines, and power outages are possible, according to the weather service. Travel is expected to be difficult, especially for tall vehicles.
High temperatures throughout Massachusetts are predicted to reach the mid to high 50s on Friday, according to the weather service. The downpour is expected to continue until the late afternoon, after which there is a chance of rain until the late evening.
Most of Massachusetts can expect to get about an inch of rain total during the storm, though some communities may see up to 2 inches, according to the weather service. The Berkshires and higher elevations in Central Massachusetts may also experience some snow as temperatures drop later on on Friday, but little to no accumulation is expected.
Overnight lows in the mid 20s are predicted for Friday night, according to the weather service. Saturday is expected to bring mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid 30s to low 40s.
