Forecasters say coastal storm could lash Mass. next week

By Melissa M. Werthmann and Martin Finucane, Globe Correspondent and Globe Staff

National Weather Service forecasters say the weather will be chilly but nice through Saturday. But after that, it may well get stormy.

The forecasters said in a forecast discussion that, with an “active weather pattern” beginning Sunday, there’s a potential for a strong coastal storm sometime between next Monday and Wednesday.

The forecasters said that “significant amounts” of snow, ice or both may occur across interior Southern New England during that time.

The forecasters also said that along the coast, the storm could bring a period of strong winds and possibly some minor coastal flooding or beach erosion.

The forecasters, who are looking at supercomputer models that paint different pictures of the future weather in the next week, said there is “plenty of uncertainty” on the timing, type of precipitation, amounts of ice or snow, and the possible hazards.

Thursday will be bright and sunny with temperatures near 40. Nighttime temperatures will again be in the high 20s.

There will be more sunshine on Friday and temperatures will be a bit warmer, near 50. Normal temperatures for this time of year are in the low to mid-40s, weather service meteorologist Charlie Foley said.

Saturday will be sunny and temperatures will be near 44 in the city. The precipitaton is expected to begin early Sunday.

Meanwhile, with Dec. 25 less than two weeks away, forecasters have calculated the likelihood that it will be a white Christmas.

“Looking back on years past and over a hundred years’ records, the chance for a white Christmas in Boston is 23 percent,” Foley said.

The weather service considers the day a “white Christmas” if there is at least an inch of snow on the ground, Foley said.