First Winter Snow: How Much Can You Expect Across MA, Schedule?

MASSACHUSETTS – The first major snowstorm of the season will hit parts of Massachusetts this week, with up to 6 inches forecast for parts of the state Wednesday night through Thursday morning.

While there could be flakes in the air mixed with rain in Greater Boston and along the North Shore and South Shore, the Thursday morning commute may require winter boots, shovels and even plows inland.

The National Weather Service predicts little to no accumulation within Route 128 and up to an inch of snow in the 495 region.

As you get north and west of it, the total numbers start to pile up.

The latest NWS forecast is for 2 to 3 inches in the higher elevations of the Worcester of Fitchburg areas, with a jackpot of 4 to 6 in far northern Worcester County in the Princeton, Winchedon and Athol areas to Greenfield along Route 2 Customs is expected.

The timing of the storm should prevent most activity Wednesday evening, with snow falling around 11 p.m. and changing to rain in the early morning hours in the Boston area. By 5 a.m., snow was expected to turn to rain in MetroWest and the Merrimack Valley.

Rain and snow will continue inland on Thursday morning until around midday.

After the storm it will be slightly warmer and much windier with a high of 43 degrees and a strong southwest wind with gusts of up to 28 miles per hour.

The winter feel will continue with an intensifying shot of cold air over the weekend, with highs of 33 degrees on Friday, 36 degrees on Saturday and 39 degrees on Sunday, before warmer air is likely to follow early next week with highs in the 50s.

(Scott Souza is Patch Field Editor, covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)