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

Summary: First, I would like to apologize for my snow accumulation forecast for Friday night. I had 3″ accumulation at my house at 1300′ elevation but I get the impression it was much less in the valleys. Hopefully, I will do a little better with tonight and tomorrow’s weather “event”.

One thing that is apparent is that the precipitation which falls tonight and during the day tomorrow, in whatever form it is in, will generally be light. However, temperatures will also be well below freezing tonight and into tomorrow morning so roads could be slippery even with light frozen precipitation falling. One advantage is that the precipitation will progress from snow to sleet to freezing rain (instead of just freezing rain) so a coating of slush will likely be on the roads in the morning instead of an icy glaze.

We will be in between two weak surface low pressure systems, one dying over the Great Lakes and a secondary low forming along its warm front along the Mid-Atlantic coast. The warm front will advance from the south and just pass through to our north during tomorrow afternoon as temperatures rise slowly through the 20s during the morning and into the low to mid 30s by late in the day. Once the front passes, any remaining light precipitation should end during the late afternoon, except for some spotty drizzle. The cold front extending southwest from the occluded front of the dying low in southern Canada will then move slowly through during tomorrow evening and temperatures will again begin to drop slowly overnight, reaching the mid 20s by morning. The precipitation should be over by the time the temperatures fall below freezing but any remaining slush on the secondary roadways may refreeze. However, given the amount of salt that is usually deposited during these events the roads will probably stay wet.

Light snow should overspread the county from south to north around 11 pm or midnight and continue off and on til daybreak. Snow accumulations should be light, on the order of an inch or less in most spots. The snow should begin to change to sleet (ice pellets) around 7 or 8am. The sleet should also be light. Sleet will gradually change to light freezing rain or freezing drizzle as the morning progresses. This transition should occur mid to late morning. There will likely be a coating of ice pellets on top of the snow, perhaps 1/2″ or so. Light freezing rain or drizzle will continue off and on from late morning through mid afternoon. Expect no more than o.10″ of freezing rain to coat the snow and sleet. The precipitation may change to plain rain in the valleys late in the day as temperatures finally rise above freezing. Precipitation may stay light freezing rain and drizzle over the elevated terrain where temperatures will top out near 32 degrees. Precipitation should end by late afternoon, except for some spotty drizzle from time to time through the evening.

As the cold front continues to move to our east and south on Tuesday a disturbance will ride up the coast along the front. We may be brushed with a little light snow on the northwestern fringe of the precipitation shield during Tuesday afternoon, particularly in South County. Accumulations will likely be a trace to 1″ with the highest amounts in South County. After this it will turn markedly colder as another arctic air mass moves in for the mid to late work week.

Sunday Night

Light snow overspreading the county from south to north between 11pm and midnight. Intermittent light snow til morning. Accumulations generally an inch or less. Probability of precipitation 90%.

Low temperatures in the low 20s in the valleys in central and northern Berkshire, mid 20s in South County, and upper teens to near 20 over the elevated terrain.

Winds light and variable in the evening, becoming east-southeast at 5-10 mph after midnight.

Monday

Intermittent light snow will transition first to light sleet (ice pellets) around 7 or 8 am and then light freezing rain and drizzle mid to late morning. Up to 1/2″ of sleet and between 0.05″ and 0.10″ of ice (freezing rain). Freezing rain and drizzle changing to plain rain and drizzle mid to late afternoon in the valleys, remaining freezing rain and drizzle over the elevated terrain. All precipitation should end by late afternoon except for some spotty drizzle.

Temperatures rising through the 20s during the morning and into the low to mid 30s by mid afternoon in Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams and Williamstown; mid 30s in Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Sheffield; and low 30s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

East-southeast winds at 5-10 mph through early afternoon, shifting to light southwest mid afternoon.

Monday Night

Overcast with spotty drizzle, freezing drizzle over the elevated terrain, in the evening. Partial clearing for a time after midnight although it should remain mostly cloudy.

Low temperatures in the low to mid 20s in most locatios, mid 20s in South County, low 20s over the elevated terrain.

Southwest winds at 5-10 mph in the evening, shifting to west-northwest near midnight.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy early, then becoming overcast. Light snow likely developing during the afternoon, particularly in South County. Probability of precipitation 50% in North County, 60% in central Berkshire and 80% in South County. Likely accumulations a dusting to the north and up to 1″ to the south.

Temperatures only rising slightly off the morning lows, with high temperatures in the upper 20s in Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams, and Williamstown; near 30 in Lee and Stockbridge; near 30 to low 30s in Great Barrington and Sheffield and; mid 20s over the elevated terrain and hilltowns.

West-northwesterly winds at 5-10 mph.