A taste of spring to be dampened by afternoon rain
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff, and Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent
A tantalizing taste of spring pushed temperatures this morning up near 60 degrees as Boston was blessed by sunny skies and a warm breeze. Dog walkers took to beaches. Joggers left treadmills and ventured outside. And golfers crossed their fingers and dialed country clubs, hoping to squeeze in a tee time.
“I’ve gotten probably a half dozen calls since I got here a half hour ago,” said Brian Bian, head golf professional at Putterham Meadows Golf Course in Chestnut Hill. “That is a lot this time of year.”
It is only March 4, and many local courses are still closed and covered with clumps of melting snow. Most golf course managers know the truth -- this weather is a cruel tease that won’t last until even this afternoon.
“Enjoy it while you can,” said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton. “It’s raining in northwestern Massachusetts right now and slowly sliding east.”
The skies are expected to darken in Boston by early afternoon as 1 to 2 inches of rain falls.
A flood watch goes into effect tonight in much of Western and Central Massachusetts, stretching from the Berkshires to Middlesex County.
The rain is expected to continue Wednesday, and then it gets worse. By Thursday night, temperatures are expected to drop below freezing as the region will be pelted with rain, sleet, and more snow.
