Lexington, Massachusetts, USA
000
FXUS61 KBOX 070540
AFDBOX
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
1240 AM EST Wed Jan 7 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes since the previous forecast update. A Winter
Weather Advisory remains in effect for the threat of freezing rain
across portions of southern New England through this morning. Most
locations along the I-95 corridor will experience a light glace of
ice, though locations across interior southern New England may see
an additional ice accumulation of 0.1". Plan on slick travel this
morning.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Freezing rain creates hazardous road conditions this morning
for much of southern New England. Improvements by late morning
to early afternoon, quieter conditions tonight to Thursday.
- Pattern change brings milder temps with rain later in the
week; no flooding expected.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Freezing rain creates hazardous road conditions
this morning for much of southern New England. Improvements by
late morning to early afternoon, quieter conditions tonight to
Thursday.
Ongoing freezing rain across portions of the area this morning is
creating hazardous travel conditions on untreated surfaces. A Winter
Weather Advisory in effect through 10 AM for northern Rhode Island,
northern Connecticut, and much of Massachusetts away from southeast
sections, including Cape Cod and the Islands.
A low pressure system over the eastern Great Lakes continues to move
east-northeast across central and northern New England. Ahead and
east of the low, a mid-level warm front brought an initial band of
precipitation Tuesday evening, with a surface warm front arriving a
few hours later. This has allowed surface temperatures to rise above
freezing across the coastal plain, temporarily ending the freezing
rain threat. Interior and high-elecvation locations remain more
susceptible, where cold air is still entrenched near the surface and
freezing rain continues. Model guidance continues to show a weak
secondary area of low pressure developing as the primary low exits.
This will induce a rapid shift in winds to the northwest to north-
northwest, allowing colder air to drain southward. As a result,
marginally warm surface temperatures may fall from the middle 30s
into the lower 30s, bringing a renewed threat for freezing rain and
possibly some snow showers on the back edge of the system as it
wraps up and exits late this morning. Any lingering precipitation
tappers off between 10 AM and 1 PM, with the remainder of the
afternoon remaining cloudy and temperatures holding in the middle
30s.
Cold air advection for Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with
drying conditions and northwest winds around 10 mph. Overnight lows
fall below freezing, allowing any untreated wet surfaces to
refreeze. By Thursday, increasing mid-level heights and high
pressure build east from the Mid-Atlantic coast to the waters south
of southern New England. Warm air advection supports milder a milder
airmass, with afternoon highs in the middle 40s under partly to
mostly clear skies.
KEY MESSAGE 2...Pattern change brings milder temps with rain late
Friday clear through the weekend.
High confidence that following Wednesday's mixed precipitation event
we'll see a pattern shift toward a milder airmass with prolonged
unsettled weather for Friday into the weekend. A building
subtropical ridge Thursday into Friday keeps things dry while
increasing warm SW flow pushes temps back into the 40s Thursday and
near 50F Friday. We won't see a significant cool down (to normal)
until Monday once the weekend system fully pushes through. That
system consists of a broad trough and a series of low pressures, the
first of which tracks north of SNE and brings a round of warm
frontal rainfall late Friday into Saturday. The more robust system
follows shortly after with a deeper trough digging in and a
secondary low forming over the region during the weekend. This will
combine good dynamics with ample moisture (PWATs nearing 1.5"). Too
soon to nail down specifics but guidance suggests this could squeeze
out 0.50-1.00" of rain before drier air returns for Monday. Overall,
a very wet weekend looks in store.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...
Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High -greater than 60 percent.
06z TAF update...
Through 12z... Moderate Confidence.
Low cigs/vsbys becoming widespread IFR-LIFR as RA and FZRA
overspreads the region. Mostly FZRA interior with brief snow
possible at onset north of Route 2. Otherwise, rain near the
coast. Light N-NE wind becoming E near the coast.
Today... Moderate Confidence.
IFR-LIFR conditions persist in the morning with gradual improvement
to MVFR-VFR through the afternoon away from the coast. Areas of FZRA
or FZDZ in the interior may expand toward the E-NE MA coast during
the morning. Winds shifting to N-NW during the morning increasing
mid-late afternoon.
Tonight... High Confidence.
Mainly VFR, although MVFR may linger into the evening for
Cape/Islands. NW wind 5-15 kt.
Thursday... High Confidence.
Dry. VFR. Light NW wind becomes W, less than 8 knots. Wind may
become calm after 21z with high-pressure moving into the region.
KBOS Terminal... Moderate Confidence.
IFR cigs with LIFR cigs/vsbys developing late into Wed morning. Rain
develops after 02z but could begin as a brief period of FZRA before
temps climb above freezing. Winds shift back to N-NW Wed morning and
that may lead to some -FZRA/-FZDZ as colder air is drawn southward.
KBDL Terminal... Moderate Confidence.
Conditions lowering to IFR tonight with pockets of LIFR. Areas of
FZRA develop after 00z transitioning to -RA/-DZ late tonight as
temps climb above freezing.
Outlook /Thursday Night through Sunday/...
Thursday Night: VFR.
Friday: Mainly VFR, with local MVFR possible. Breezy. Chance
RA, slight chance FZRA.
Friday Night: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy.
Chance RA.
Saturday: MVFR/IFR conditions possible. Breezy. RA likely.
Saturday Night: Mainly MVFR, with areas IFR possible. Breezy.
RA.
Sunday: Mainly VFR, with local MVFR possible. Breezy. Chance
RA.
&&
.MARINE...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...
Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.
Key Point:
- Small Craft Advisory in effect today & Wednesday for the southern
waters and eastern outer waters for seas greater than 5 feet.
Today through Thursday... High Confidence.
Low-pressure system moves east of the Gulf of Maine with increasing
winds from the W, gusts between 20 to 30 knots. Occasional mixed
wintry precipitation tapper off from southwest to northeast during
the late morning into the early afternoon. Seas across the southern
waters increasing 4' to 8', eastern waters 3' to 6'.
An area of high-pressure exits off the Mid Atlantic Coast on
Thursday morning, settling over the southern waters. Seas and winds
diminish, falling below advisory criteria.
Outlook /Thursday Night through Sunday/...
Thursday Night: Winds less than 25 kt.
Friday through Friday Night: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory
winds with gusts up to 25 kt. Local rough seas. Chance of rain.
Saturday: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching
5 ft. Chance of rain.
Saturday Night: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with
gusts up to 25 kt. Areas of rough seas. Rain.
Sunday: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with gusts up
to 30 kt. Rough seas up to 11 ft. Rain likely.
&&
.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST this morning for
CTZ002>004.
MA...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST this morning for
MAZ002>017-026.
RI...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST this morning for
RIZ001>004.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 1 AM EST
Thursday for ANZ235-237.
Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 AM EST
Thursday for ANZ250.
Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 1 PM EST
Thursday for ANZ254.
Small Craft Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 1 PM EST
Thursday for ANZ255-256.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...Dooley/Mensch
AVIATION...Dooley/Mensch
MARINE...Dooley/Mensch
Meta data:
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Link:
https://api.weather.gov/products/752cdb0c-24db-4713-a9c3-dc4471c88bfa
Index:
https://api.weather.gov/products/types/AFD/locations/BOX