After a taste of spring, winter will return ‘with a vengeance.’ How much snow will we see in the Berkshires on Tuesday?
It was fun while it lasted. But mid-February reality is poised to bite — how hard was still up in the air on Monday.
After a three-day warm spell that melted temperature records, a coastal snowstorm is expected to intensify on Tuesday morning east of Long Island, N.Y. and deliver anywhere from a few inches to up to a foot of snow to parts the Berkshires.
Winter will return with a vengeance as the storm moves along a push of colder air that will set the stage for more typical conditions for the middle part of February, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde noted in an online post.
Forecasters expect a few hours of possibly moderate to heavy, wet snow in the Berkshires from Tuesday morning into the mid-afternoon.
Will school schedules and the Tuesday morning commute to work be severely impacted?
That’s tough to predict, forecasters agreed. They pointed out that this season’s previous snowstorms have thrown a curve into predicted accumulations.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for South Berkshire from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, while a more cautious winter storm watch remained in effect from Pittsfield to the Vermont border during the same time period
The deeper snow totals are likely south of the MassPike — 6 to 12 inches are possible in South County, while 5 to 8 inches are predicted for Pittsfield and the rest of the Central Berkshires.
North Berkshire may only get 3 to 6 inches, said NewsChannel 13 chief meteorologist Paul Caiano in his Monday morning forecast.
There’s still some question as to the exact track of the storm as it deepens on Tuesday, said Caiano, who also is the forecaster for WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
The county has seen less than half of normal snowfall for the season so far — 22 inches, compared to the 46 inch average at Pittsfield Municipal Airport since 1939.
Strong winds gusting over 30 mph may cause blowing and drifting snow as the storm winds down on Tuesday afternoon.
Government forecasters at the weather service in Albany, N.Y., pointed out that the track of the snowstorm has shifted to the south, reducing snow totals for areas north of I-90.
Southern New England, most of eastern and central Massachusetts including the Boston area, and downstate New York are now in the bullseye for the highest snowfall totals.
After the snow ends Tuesday afternoon, blustery winds and seasonable temperatures will hang on through the rest of the week, ranging from upper teens overnight to low 30s in the afternoons. Light snow is possible Thursday night.
About that warm spell: Record highs of 50 were recorded on Thursday and Friday at Pittsfield Municipal Airport, breaking decades-old records. Saturday’s 58 degree high — almost shirtsleeve weather — compared to the previous record of 52 for Feb. 10 set in 2023.
Temperatures have been above average every day here, often by double-digits, from Jan. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 11.
Looking ahead, the Climate Prediction Center indicates below-normal temperatures for Feb. 19-25, with near normal snowfall.
What to expect . . .
Monday: Mostly cloudy, dropping to around 30 overnight.
Tuesday: Snow expected before dawn, continuing into the mid-afternoon. Highest snow totals in South Berkshire, 6-12 inches possible, 5 to 8 inches in Pittsfield and Central Berkshire, 3 to 6 inches in North County. Gusty winds could cause blowing and drifting snow, especially late in the day and at night.
Wednesday: Partly sunny after possible early-day snow showers, high in the low 30s.
Sources: National Weather Service and AccuWeather
