Significant Weather Blog: Friday, December 26, 2025 1 PM
Snow Tonight into Early Saturday Morning
Risk of Freezing Rain Sunday Night Western and North Central MA
Tonight into Early Saturday Morning
A clipper system will move southeast from the Great Lakes to south of New England tonight into early Saturday. This storm will bring at least a moderate amount of moisture and rather robust upward motion along a boundary of cold air across the Northeast U.S. and warm air over the Southeast U.S. The sharp low level temperature boundary provides a source of potential energy to induce a period of strong upward motion tonight across a swath of southern New England, especially western MA and western CT. Most of the snow in southern New England should fall between 10 PM and 6 AM. Highest snowfall totals from this system are anticipated across the Catskills of New York State. Snowfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are likely across the Berkshires and western CT. For the NYC metro, the snow may be of a somewhat wetter consistency with 4 to 6 inches anticipated. In these areas, the snow may fall at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour for a time late tonight. To the east, anticipate 3 to 6 inches across the CT River Valley of MA, the rest of CT, and southwest RI and Block Island. Still further east, it looks like 2 to 4 inches across much of central MA and the rest of RI. Lighter amounts of 1 to 3 inches are anticipated across eastern MA, although some ocean effect enhancement Saturday morning may result in slightly higher amounts across portions of the eastern MA coast and Cape. Although there is fairly good model consensus now on the track of this system, any deviation could result in higher or lower amounts, especially toward the fringes. Rather high snow to liquid ratios are anticipated and may subsequently result in a relatively fluffy snow for most areas.
Sunday Night
A rather strong upper-level trough and surface low pressure will move across the Great Lakes into Ontario Sunday night. Warm (above freezing) and moist air will overrun colder air at the surface. Across western MA and north central MA, surface temperatures will likely be below freezing at the start of the precipitation. This area may experience several hours of freezing rain before eventually the surface cold air is scoured out by south to southwest winds. Portions of northern CT and south central MA may also start as freezing rain but likely for only a short time before changing to just rain. Fortunately, it looks like the precipitation will not move into New England until late Sunday evening, probably toward midnight. One concern is that where surface temperatures are below freezing, the precipitation will start as freezing rain on bare surfaces. That type of scenario can be especially hazardous for travel.
The main message for this system is that any people planning on traveling to or through western MA and north central MA should make efforts to complete that travel by early or mid-Sunday evening.
Unless there’s a need to update this blog, the next message will be the weekly significant weather outlook on Monday.
About this Blog and Disclaimer
The National Weather Service monitors the weather 24/7 and updates forecasts, watches, and warnings as necessary. For most of southern New England, refer to your local Weather Forecast Office for the latest forecast/warning information at weather.gov/box. For information from other Weather Forecast Offices, go to weather.gov and click on the location of interest on the map.
A blog is issued when there is a potential risk of hazardous weather to southern New England and serves to provide background information regarding the significant weather with somewhat of an educational slant. In the case of hurricanes, the author will attempt to issue a message when any portion of the United States coastline may be seriously impacted. It’s intended to complement and not serve as an alternative to official forecasts issued by the National Weather Service. Readers are urged to check National Weather Service forecasts and warnings for the most timely and updated weather information. This weather message is solely produced by the listed author and does not constitute an official product of the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center (BHOSC).
The frequency of this blog will depend upon the nature of the weather threat and availability of the author. Thus, for the latest information on weather forecasts and warnings, refer to the National Weather Service, which monitors and forecasts the weather 24/7.
Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center (BHOSC)
The BHOSC maintains a continuous daily observation record that dates from February 1, 1885 without interruption and provides educational information on weather and climate to area students and the community at large. Your support of BHOSC is much appreciated and enables this nonprofit organization to maintain the long-term climate record at the Blue Hill Observatory (longest continuous record in North America) and provide valuable educational resources on weather and climate via outreach to schools, site visits/tours, webinars, and conferences. For more information on the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center, explore bluehill.org.
Message issued December 26, 2025 by:
Bob Thompson
Retired National Weather Service Meteorologist
Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center Board member
