Troublesome Morning Commute with Freezing Rain; Roof Loading an Issue

It ain't over yet.

Jim Arnold, weather specialist with Shrewsbury Emergency Management, said it looks like our extra bit of winter weather is arriving Monday morning in the form of snow, sleet, freezing rain .... and then finally rain.

"A warm front approaching from the west and southwest late tonight and tomorrow will bring a wintry mix of precipitation beginning around dawn Monday and continuing throughout much of the day," said Arnold.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, corroborating Arnold's predictions with a forecast that also calls for freezing rain and sleet. The advisory is in effect from 6-11 a.m. on Monday for Southwest Massachusetts.

"Once again, we have cold air well established and it will take some time for it to be scoured out, especially in the deeper valleys," said Arold. "We could also see some cold air damming develop, which would extend the length of time we see frozen precipitation. By late morning or noontime the transition to plain rain should be nearly complete as temperatures rise into the high 30s or low 40s during the afternoon." 

The rain, he added, will end in all areas Monday evening, with temperatures remaining on the mild side.

"Tuesday looks to be a very nice late winter day, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low to mid 40s," said Arnold. "Winds will not be an issue throughout the period, running generally between 10 and 20 mph from the southwest to northwest."

 Monday morning in the area could see up to an inch of mixed snow, sleet and freezing rain. Combined with the possibility of black ice, Arnold said it could create a "troublesome morning commute."

"With nearly 30 inches of snow from the recent blizzard, roof loading will begin to become an issue as rain saturates the snow pack and adds weight to roof structures," said Arnold." Ice dams could also begin to become a problem when temperatures return to below freezing values.