Spring nor’easter coming to Mass.: Latest timeline for arrival, impacts

DEDHAM, Mass. — A spring nor’easter will sweep across New England on Thursday ahead of Memorial Day weekend, bringing torrential rain, strong wind gusts, and possible flooding to Massachusetts.

The Boston 25 Weather team issued a WEATHER ALERT for Thursday due to the storm’s expected impacts.

LATEST STORM TIMELINE

Showers will develop Wednesday night ahead of the more organized system.

Steady rain will fall during the Thursday morning commute, but downpours will peak midday through the afternoon hours.

“If you’re a morning commuter, 5 a.m. is not a bad time to be on the roads. We will have steady rain out there, but it won’t be torrential yet,” Boston 25 Meteorologist Shiri Spear said in her latest forecast. “That develops during the morning, so by lunchtime we’re in the thick of it. The afternoon is going to feature scattered downpours.”

Patchy rain will linger into Friday morning.

“As we travel through the overnight hours into Friday, lot of that heavy, steady rain is going to lift into northern New England,” Spear said. “We’re just left with some patchy stuff...It tends to dry out Friday into Saturday.”

THREATS WE’RE WATCHING

• 1-3 inches of rain
• Wind gusts up to 50 mph
• Areas of coastal flooding

EXPECTED RAINFALL TOTALS

Rainfall totals are expected to range from 1 to 3 inches.

The heaviest rain is likely across eastern Massachusetts, including Boston.

Central and western Massachusetts is in for about 2 inches of rain.

Northern new England, including New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont will see about an inch of rain.

STRONG WIND

Wind gusts will ramp up as well on Thursday, also peaking in the afternoon.

Gusts up to 50 mph are possible along the coast and Cape Cod. Gusts of 30-45 mph are expected in other parts of the region.

There is a risk of wind damage and power outages, as with any powerful storm.

FLOODING THREAT

Pockets of splash over and minor coastal flooding will develop late Thursday afternoon and evening along the coast ahead of the 8 p.m. high tide.

Waves of 5 to 10 feet in height are expected, along with a 2-foot storm surge.

Beach erosion is only expected to be minor.

EARLY SPRING FEEL

Highs on Thursday will be in the 40s and low 50s.

“It’s going to feel like late March, early April,” Spear said.

Temps will climb into the lower 60s in some areas this weekend.

“It’s really running almost 10 degrees below average this weekend,” Spear noted.

Memorial Day is shaping up to be partly cloudy with temperatures climbing back near 70 degrees.

STAY UPDATED

For more on the forecast, visit the Boston 25 Weather page.

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