So, if you’ve lived in New England for more than five minutes, you know the drill. One day you’re walking down Boylston Street in a light fleece, and the next, you’re questioning every life choice that led you to a city where the wind literally tries to steal your breath.
Honestly, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Boston weather next week is shaping up to be a classic "Janu-weary" emotional rollercoaster. We are currently coming off an unseasonably mild stretch. Thursday started with temperatures flirting with 50°F—which, let’s be real, is basically summer for us—but the honeymoon is over. A sharp cold front is sweeping through today, January 15, and it’s dragging a messy mix of rain and light snow behind it.
The Sudden Temperature Cliff
The National Weather Service (NWS) out of Norton has been pretty clear: the "atypical diurnal trend" is here.
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Basically, that means instead of getting warmer as the sun comes up, we are watching the mercury tank. We’ll drop from the 40s into the 20s by this evening. If you didn't bring a heavier coat to work this morning, you're going to have a very long, very shivery walk to the T later.
By Friday morning, the wind chill is going to be the real story. We are looking at "feels like" temperatures between -5°F and 5°F. It’s that biting, dry Arctic air that makes your skin feel like it’s cracking the second you step out of the North End.
What to Expect Day-by-Day
I’m not a fan of those perfectly polished weather tables that make everything look predictable. New England weather is chaotic. Here is the gritty reality of what the models—the NAM, GFS, and the European—are showing for the next seven days.
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- Friday, Jan 16: Sunny, but don't let the blue sky lie to you. It's going to be a high of 32°F with 18 mph winds. It’ll be a "stay inside and order Flour Bakery" kind of day.
- Saturday, Jan 17: This is where it gets annoying. We’re looking at a 65% chance of a rain/snow mix. Temperatures will hover around 39°F, which is that "everything is slushy and gray" sweet spot.
- Sunday, Jan 18: More light snow likely. It’s not a blizzard, but enough to make the sidewalks near the Common slick. High of 37°F.
- Monday, Jan 19 (MLK Day): High pressure moves in. It’ll be sunny but colder, with a high of 32°F and a low of 15°F.
- The Big Freeze (Tuesday/Wednesday): This is the part people aren't talking about yet. Tuesday, Jan 20, is looking brutal. We’re talking a high of only 21°F. Wednesday isn't much better, struggling to hit 25°F.
The Snow Squall Factor
One thing the NWS "Area Forecast Discussion" mentioned that caught my eye was the potential for snow squalls.
Squalls are different from your standard storm. They’re fast, violent, and can drop visibility to near zero in seconds. While the moisture levels are still a bit of a question mark, the "confluence of steep lapse rates" (as the meteorologists say) means we could see some whiteout conditions during the commute.
Drive carefully on I-93. Seriously.
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Is a Major Storm Brewing?
There’s been some chatter about a high-impact storm late this weekend into Monday. Right now, the major models are treating that as an "outlier." Most of the energy looks like it might stay offshore.
However, as any local knows, these "out-to-sea" storms love to take a left turn at the last minute. For now, plan on a cold, mostly dry week with a few rounds of nuisance snow.
Practical Steps for Next Week
Don't get caught off guard by the drop.
- Check your tires today. Cold air makes tire pressure drop. That "low pressure" light is going to be glowing on half the dashboards in Quincy by tomorrow morning.
- Layers aren't a suggestion. You need a base layer that wicks moisture. Sweat turns into ice the moment you stop walking.
- Salt the stairs. Saturday’s rain-to-snow transition is a recipe for black ice. Don't be the person who wipes out on their own porch.
- Watch the wind. Friday’s gusts will be hitting 30+ mph. If you have those plastic trash bins, maybe weigh them down or bring them in early.
The bottom line is that the "mild" January we’ve been enjoying is officially on hiatus. We’re heading into a deep freeze that will last through at least the middle of next week. Keep an eye on the radar for Saturday’s mix, but the real challenge will be those single-digit wind chills starting Friday morning.