Note: Clicking on underlined red text provides links to various weather maps.

Summary: The jet stream wave pattern is quite flat (zonally oriented) and the meridional (north-south) temperature contrast is weak across the eastern U.S.. As a result, surface weather systems are also weak. Therefore, our weather should be quiet for the next few days. However, with the weak wind flow pattern, it may be difficult to shake our cloud cover.

A weak surface low pressure center will pass well to our south and east on Tuesday and not have any impact on our weather. As this is occurring, however, a significant change in the jet stream pattern will start to occur as a deep trough begins to dig well to the south over the western and central U.S.. This will generate a surface low pressure center over the upper Great Plains along the eastern edge of the trough (once again, the usual location). As this surface low moves through the Great Lakes on Wednesday, it will pull its warm front (extending southeast from the low) over us Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. This may cause a few light rain showers but the most noticeable impact will be that temperatures will be quite mild on Thursday as the front passes and we move, briefly, into the “warm sector” of the surface cyclone.

Late in the day on Thursday and overnight Thursday, the cold front extending south from the surface low will edge into the region and then stall as the deep trough in the jet stream extends over the entire country with its eastern edge stalled right over New England. This set up will make for a very tricky forecast as well as “tricky” weather for Friday through Saturday. The front will sink VERY slowly south and east over the course of those two days. Weak disturbances in the jet stream riding along the front will bring a few bouts of light precipitation. At first, rain or freezing rain is likely, and there could be some icing, as warmer air overrides the cold, heavy air moving south at low levels of the atmosphere. Later in the period, snow is more likely as the colder air becomes entrenched at all levels. Precipitation type and amounts are still highly uncertain and the computer models differ on how quickly the cold front will sink to the south late in the week.

Sunday Night

Mostly cloudy. Due to the cloud cover, it should remain relatively mild for early December.

Low temperatures in the low to mid 30s across the county.

Calm winds.

Monday

Partly sunny (more clouds than sun) and fairly mild.

High temperatures in the low 40s in Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams, Williamstown, Lee and Stockbridge; low to mid 40s in Great Barrington and Sheffield and; near 40 over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

Winds light and variable.

Monday Night

Mostly cloudy and relatively mild.

Low temperatures again in the low to mid 30s.

Calm winds.

Tuesday

Partly sunny (more clouds than sun) in the morning, becoming partly cloudy (more sun than clouds) in the afternoon. Still mild.

High temperatures in the low to mid 40s in Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams and Williamstown; mid 40s in Lee and Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Sheffield and; low 40s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

Light west-northwesterly winds.