Rain, not ice, expected to hit metro Boston

By Globe Staff

Good news: A storm is expected to drench metropolitan Boston with up 1 1/2 inches of rain. The sleet, ice, and snow will stay far west of the city, hitting Worcester County and cities and towns in southwestern New Hampshire.

“We’re going to get a good slug of rain,” said Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton.

Showers are expected to begin by 11 a.m. and will get heavy in the afternoon. West of Interstate 495, the rain is predicted to mix with sleet and snow in Fitchburg, Leominster, and Worcester.

“The focus out there will be power outages as trees ice up and branches bring down power lines,” Foley said.

The storm will be followed by high winds across Eastern Massachusetts, with gusts expected to top 50 miles per hour. A wind advisory is in effect from 1 to 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The front is expected to bring pleasant weather for the weekend, with sun, no rain or snow, and temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average.

“You might even want to tailgate in your own driveway” for the Super Bowl, Foley said.

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