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We’re going to see rapid changes in the weather with rain, snow, and wind — and warm temperatures ahead

The change from rain to snow will occur west to east this afternoon, reaching Boston at about 3 to 5 p.m.

Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff/File

By Dave Epstein, The Boston Globe

March 12, 2022

Low clouds and fog enveloped the area Saturday morning, a precursor to heavy rain and eventual cold.

Thick fog was evident across much of eastern Massachusetts including at Lookout Farm in Natick on Saturday morning.

Low pressure will move through New England during Saturday and then up into the Canadian Maritimes. This storm will eventually become very intense as it nears Greenland. The result will be a brief blast of cold air but the storm is also part of a pattern change that’s coming next week. More on that in a bit.

You might have heard that there is going to be some snow as the storm came to an end today and this is true. As you move north and west of Worcester and certainly the Berkshires, Southern Vermont, and parts of Northern New England there will be significant snow. In areas that receive the heaviest amounts, the heavy, wet snow could create power outages and problems clearing. East of Worcester including Boston, the rain may end as a very brief burst of snow that could even temporarily coat the ground in a few areas, but that’s not going to be a major factor.

Snow is likely at the end of the rainstorm Saturday afternoon and early evening.

The heaviest rain will occur during the first part of the afternoon, and south of Boston it’s not going to be surprising if there is some thunder embedded within the line of heaviest downpours. The radar loop below from about 7:30 Saturday morning shows the rain moving northward along the east coast.

An area of moderate to heavy rain was moving northward Saturday morning.

The change from rain to snow will occur west to east this afternoon, reaching Boston at about 3 to 5 p.m. Crews may need to treat roadways this evening and overnight as temperatures fall below freezing, but the winds will help dry the asphalt and should limit widespread icy conditions.

Colder air will work eastward this afternoon behind a strong front.

By this evening it will all be over, and then strong winds will pull down cold Canadian air. On Sunday, temperatures will stay in the 30s and conditions will definitely still feel like winter.

In addition to the rain, wind will also be an issue later Saturday and into Sunday. These winds, coming from the west will gust over 30 miles per hour and could cause scattered power outages — along with making conditions feel cold. A wind advisory is posted for eastern areas of Massachusetts for the strongest winds late Saturday and Sunday morning.

Heavy snow is confined to western Massachusetts with fog and wind east.

Next week, milder air will take over with seasonal temperatures at the beginning of the week and above-average temperatures by the middle and end of the week. It’s not out of the question that widespread 60s will be a part of the forecast at some point, likely Friday.