Summary: After several days of above average temperatures, Berkshire County will see a return to more seasonable temperatures for Wednesday and then very cold weather for Thursday.

A strong cold front at the leading edge of a deep trough in the jet stream wave pattern is bringing us moderate to heavy rain this afternoon. There will be some clearing overnight, after the front passes this evening, and most of the day on Wednesday will be fairly sunny with much cooler, but seasonable, temperatures. A secondary cold front will then pass through during the late afternoon to early evening with scattered snow showers, and even a few snow squalls. This frontal passage will usher in an even colder arctic airmass. As a result, Thursday will be a windy and unseasonably cold day, with low wind chills and air temperatures remaining in the 20s.

Tuesday Night

Rain should end by 7 or 8 pm. There may be a few lingering light showers for a few hours after that. There will be partial clearing after midnight, although the low clouds will hang tough and there may even be some patchy fog.

Temperatures will drop precipitously into the 30s countywide as the surface cold front passes around 6 pm, then drop more slowly through the 30s overnight. Likely overnight low temperatures in the upper 20s in most locations, mid 20s over the elevated terrain.

West-northwesterly winds at 10-15 mph this evening, decreasing to 5-10 mph after midnight.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny (5-25% cloud cover) to partly cloudy (25-50% cloud cover) for most of the day. Clouds will increase late and there is a good chance of a snow shower or squall towards evening as the arctic front passes through. Probability of precipitation 50%. There is likely to be a quick coating of snow in places, with up to 1/2″ in any heavier squalls, most likely over the elevated terrain.

It will be much cooler than recent days, with high temperatures in the low 40s in Pittsfield, Adams, North Adams and Williamstown, mid 40s in Great Barrington and Sheffield, and upper 30s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

West-northwesterly winds at 8-15 mph, with the higher end or this range (as always) over the elevated terrain.

Wednesday Night

Good chance of a snow shower during the early evening as the front passes, then becoming partly cloudy, breezy and colder, with only a slight chance of a snow shower or flurry for the remainder of the overnight. Probability of precipitation 50% early, then 20% after the front passes.

It will be colder, with low temperatures near 20 in most locations, mid to upper teens over the elevated terrain. Wind chill temperatures dropping into the single digits after midnight.

West-northwest winds at 10-15 mph.

Thursday

Partly sunny early, then mostly cloudy, breezy and unseasonably cold. There is a slight chance of a snow flurry. Probability of precipitation 20%. No accumulation expected.

High temperatures in the mid to upper 20s in Pittsfield, Adams, North Adams and Williamstown, upper 20s in Great Barrington and Sheffield, and low 20s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns. Wind chill temperatures in the single digits.

West-northwesterly winds at 10-20 mph with gusts over 30 mph.