Summary: If you liked today’s weather then you are sure to love the forecast for next week…..

As surface high pressure moves to our east on Saturday, the “return” southerly flow will bring us a brief warm up Saturday into early Sunday before arctic air returns for the majority of the the workweek. An Alberta Clipper low will scoot by to our north on Sunday and drag its trailing arctic cold front across the region, opening the door for an Arctic air mass, presently over central and western Canada, to plunge into the Northeast. The frontal passage will likely be accompanied by some scattered snow showers and snow squalls. Then, as the surface high pressure system builds in from Canada behind the front, the cold westerly and northwesterly flow being generated as this high advances will produce a fairly prolonged period of lake-effect snow in western and central NY that could reach us with a few snow showers. We could see an inch or two in places, however, I do not expect much in the way of accumulating snow from either of these events.

High temperatures should be in the teens at best from Monday through Thursday, with low temperatures generally in the low single digits. Winds will be strong early in the week and wind chills may drop to 10 to 20 below at night. The high pressure system will crest over the area on Wednesday and Thursday and conditions will remain very cold but more tranquil than Monday and Tuesday. Low temperatures may drop below zero on Tuesday and Wednesday night, however, radiational cooling conditions will not be ideal with a breeze and some cloud cover on Tuesday night. The best bet for frigid temperatures appears to be Wednesday night as the surface high crests over the region and skies clear and winds die down.

Low pressure should return on Friday. It is too early to tell whether we will get mixed precipitation or snow from this low.

Friday Night

Increasing clouds this evening, becoming overcast after midnight.

Temperatures will fall under clear skies in the evening into the low teens in Pittsfield, mid teens in Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Great Barrington and Sheffield, and into the upper single digits in the elevated terrain. As clouds move in and the south-southwesterly breeze picks up overnight temperatures will rise, so that by daybreak temperatures should be near 20 to the low 20s in most locations.

South-southwesterly winds at 5-10 mph this evening, increasing to 10-15 mph after midnight.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. It will be breezy and much milder.

High temperatures should be in the upper 30s in Pittsfield, near 40 in Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Great Barrington and Sheffield, and mid to upper 30s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

South-southwesterly winds at 10-15 mph.

Saturday Night

Becoming mostly cloudy. There is the chance of a snow shower toward daybreak as the cold front approaches. Probability of precipitation 30%.

Temperatures will not drop much with significant cloud cover and a south-southwesterly breeze. Low temperatures should be in the low 30s in most locations, near 30 in the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

South-southwesterly winds at 10-15 mph.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy, windy and turning colder, particularly during the afternoon. There is the chance of a snow shower or squall during the morning as the cold front passes through and then a chance of a lake-effect snow shower toward evening. Probability of precipitation 40%. There will likely be a dusting in places. A few isolated locations, particularly over the elevated terrain could see as much as a half inch or so.

High temperatures of low to mid 30s will occur early and then temperatures will begin to drop as the cold front passes during the morning. Temperatures will fall through the 20s during the afternoon.

South-southwesterly winds of 10-15 mph early, shifting to west-northwesterly during the morning hours. Wind speeds will increase with the wind shift to 15-20 mph with 20-25 mph over the elevated terrain. There will likely by gusts to 30-40 mph with the frontal passage.