Light Snow Monday

Our run of storminess will continue this week, but we will see signs that the end of winter is nigh. Temps will be up and precipitation amounts will be relatively light.

Expect a few inches of snow by sundown tomorrow. Snow should start late morning, and it could make for a slightly slower afternoon and evening commute back home.

Wednesday will feel downright spring-like, with temps well into the 40s. We would not rule out someone hitting the 50 degree mark.

On Thursday, temps will moderate to more normal late winter levels, and then on the weekend we could see the return of wintery weather. But, again, the forecast is only for very light amounts.

Take it easy on the roads tomorrow afternoon, and then settle in for a relatively quiet week.

Winter Weather Advisory (Again)

As far as winters go, the 2020-21 season has been tremendous. Sure, we had a big snow early and then a dry spell for many weeks, but since the start of the New Year, it's been a banner winter. The conditions have simply been perfect for outdoor activities.

But some of that "best winter ever" vibe took a hit with the poor snow total, sleet, and rain from Tuesday's big fizzle. And let's be honest--it's hard not to carry that disappointing feeling into this end-of-the-week storm.

Once again we've been downgraded from a Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Weather Advisory for the Thursday/Friday event. At one point we were looking at 6"--these models have been a little shaky lately--and now it looks like we'll land in the 2-4" for the Berkshires when the snow stops by Friday afternoon.

This is fine, but when's the next big one coming?

Yes, a few inches of snow will replenish the base, but it just feels like we need a few more big storms--and the accompanying Big Storm Excitement!--to make this winter one for future trips down Memory Lane.

As for the next few days, what do you really need to know? Snow should start falling late in the afternoon tomorrow throughout Berkshire County, and it will continue well into the middle of the day on Friday. The morning commute on Friday will be slow. In general, though, because the snow will be relatively light for the duration of the storm, travel Thursday night and during on the day on Friday should be manageable. 

The weekend looks pretty great. Highs in the low 30s, lows in the mid-teens. And some sun! Get outside and enjoy this late winter weather. 

We're keeping an eye on more snow for Monday afternoon and night. We'll have more details over the next few days.

Winter Storm Watch For Thursday/Friday

Storm #2 is upon us. NWS Albany announced a Winter Storm Watch for the Berkshires this afternoon. The timing looks to be a few hours earlier than we were expecting a few days ago. The Watch starts at 7 AM Thursday and ends at 4 PM on Friday. This means snow should begin by 10 AM for Berkshire County.

The storm timeframe means it's a longer duration storm than the Monday/Tuesday fizzle. Something working in our favor is that we're going to get a strong shot of cold air tonight and tomorrow--highs in the low 20s for Wednesday--so the conventional wisdom from the experts is that this will be a mostly snow event. But a mix of sleet is still possible for South County and portions of Connecticut.

We like what you're forecasting, NWS Albany. 

Forecasts 36-48 hours in front of the past few storms have been aggressive (with snow totals) but then have been scaled back as we have gotten closer to the storm's onset. Let's keep an eye out to see if that trend continues for this storm.

In case you we worried about the storm train slowing down, we're expecting measurable snow for Monday the 22nd and on Thursday the 25th. So stay tuned.

Snow & Sleet Again

We do have a few cancellations/delays to report this morning: Child Care of the Berkshires has cancelled transportation but will be open at 9:00 AM. Also, Pine Cobble School is operating with a two-hour delay.

As for the weather, expect the rain to end later this morning, and we'll have a damp, humid and unseasonably warm day. All of us should see 40 degrees by this afternoon except in the higher elevations with maybe a glimpse of the sun possible.

There is enough of a snow base to handle the rain and snow. Then things are really going to get crusty as the temps will drop almost 30 degrees in about 15 hours starting this afternoon. When you wake up on Wednesday, the thermometer will read in the low and mid teens. If you don't deal with the slush on your driveways and walkways today, you'll be stuck with it that way until it gets covered with snow on Thursday night.

Yes, we have another moderate storm right around the corner. Again, it looks like ice is going to factor in and keep snow totals down--especially in South County--but there should be a longer period of snow for the entire county before that transition occurs.

The North American model snowcast by the end of the day on Friday. The Euro is similar, giving us about an inch more. (Image courtesy of Pivotal Weather.)

Right now the hours of impact appear to be Thursday night through midday Friday. The official GSD guesstimate (as of today) is 3-6" with lower totals south and higher totals in the northeast corner of the Berkshires. Hopefully the storm will be enough to restore the hit to the snow base we're getting today due to the rain.

 

Storm Downgrade

Sadly, we've been downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory for tonight and tomorrow. We'll see a round of snow showers during the day (Monday) with some minor accumulation, but the actual storm will not arrive until well after dark this evening. Snow totals will be under 4 inches for everyone in Berkshire County, and sleet will mix in, further suppressing the amount of snow we'll see.

The simple fact is that the warm edge of the storm will push through the Berkshires into southern Vermont. A few days ago, that warm edge was only supposed to make it as far as the Mass/Conn border, but the storm track kept creeping northward.

Here's a comparison look at the Euro model from two days ago and then from this morning:

That's only a 90 mile movement, but for the set-up for this storm, its significance is the difference between a major storm and a practically a nuisance snow.

Even though snow totals are down, the sleet/ice bears watching. We are not forecasted to get too much ice (a little more than a tenth of an inch), but Tuesday morning's commute will be slow. By midday lingering snow showers and freezing drizzle will pull out of our area.

This storm's fizzle will allow us to zero in on the Thursday/Friday event, which at the moment is still on track and should bring 4-6" of new powder.

Here's what the North American model is predicting right now by Friday evening. This map will assuredly change, but the Euro and NA model are much more in line than they were for tonight's storm.

Storms (Plural) A-Comin'

Superintendents of the public schools get a break this week. With two possible sizable storms to contend with, they would have lost some sleep Tuesday and Friday morning.

Before the big(ger) storms arrive, we have a few nuisance events to deal with. We might get a dusting or half inch Saturday evening, and then a bit more snow very late Sunday night, especially in South County.

The big snow of the week looks like it will occur Monday afternoon into Tuesday. We already have a Winter Storm Watch in effect. It's a little unusual for NWS Albany to call a Watch this far out in front of a storm, so it's a good indication of their confidence that a moderate or heavy snow fall is on the way. Get the shovels ready!

Right now it looks like snow will start to fall midday on Monday and last all the way through a good portion of the day on Tuesday. At this point half a foot looks good, but most of the Berkshires will likely end up in an 8-12" zone. But there is a big "if" associated with this storm. Some models are showing a period of icing will occur. That will likely cut snow totals in half.

The current Euro model for Monday/Tuesday. That strong cut-off line indicates ice will be a factor for this storm.

Hopefully, the storm will not close vaccination sites in our area, but if it's as bad as is forecasted, then shots on Tuesday may need to be rescheduled.

We won't have to wait long for storm number two. It might not be as strong as the Monday/Tuesday storm, and the models are split on whether we'll see all snow or a shift from snow to ice to rain. If you prefer the all snow outcome, you are rooting hard for the Euro. Best case scenario (the Euro) would be 5-7 inches of snow by midday on Friday. Worst case (the North American) would be an inch or two and then a changeover to rain.

We'll have some forecast maps for you tomorrow for the big Monday/Tuesday event. More winter!

Active Weather Period Continues

The bad news is that a week ago we were watching for a moderate/heavy snow event for Friday. As you can by the lack of buzz out there on the news and on social media, that threat no longer exists. 

But the good news is that numerous small- and medium-sized storms could bring an abundance of snow to the Berkshires. Here is a long-term map that show how much snow the models think we will get (from all the storms combined) over the next two weeks:

Another two feet would be amazing and would keep a sturdy snow base well into mid-March.

So, what can we expect in the next week?

Several storms that seemed to be heading for the Berkshires are now sliding to our south. Tomorrow's chance for snow will go out to sea, and Sunday's storm is trending that way as well. We might see a few inches of snow Sunday afternoon/evening if we're lucky.

Some of the models show a stronger storm for Monday night into Tuesday, but they are not all in agreement. That storm has coastal elements that bear watching.

After Tuesday, we expect to see more nuisance snows for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Light accumulations are all possible those days.

With most schools on vacation next week, we won't be offering too much in the way of snow day/remote day information, but we will continue to help give you a sense of when snow will fall and how much.

Go out and enjoy the snow. Not every winter is this good for snow lovers. 

Snow Days and Remote Days for Tuesday, February 9

The snow started earlier than expected, and the radar shows a long swath of snow stretching all the way back to the Mississippi Valley that will slowly slide over the Berkshires throughout the day. We're still on track for 3-5 inches of snow today.

Here are confirmed school announcements:

REMOTE DAY:

Mount Greylock

North Adams 

SNOW DAY:

Mohawk Trail  

Hancock

OTHER:

Child Care of the Berkshires -- no transportation for Northern Berkshire

Pittsfield (going remote for the afternoon)

Winter Weather Advisory for Tuesday; Updated Remote and Snow Days List

REMOTE/SNOW DAYS for Tuesday, February 9th (snow information below):

REMOTE DAY:

Mount Greylock

SNOW DAY:

Mohawk Trail 

Snow Sunday...and Snowy Week Ahead

NWS Albany has announced a Winter Weather Advisory for today (Sunday) for all of Berkshire County. This event will be a relatively fast mover, and snow will likely end by kickoff time of the Big Game (6:30 PM). By the time the storm moves out of our area, most folks should see 3-4 inches with a slight chance for half a foot in South County.

We won't have to wait long for a next chance for snow. Another system will move in from the west on Tuesday and could drop another 3-5 inches of snow on us. Most of the snow will fall after midnight so we could see a few schools go fully remote that day.

And then there's Friday. The model runs show a more robust storm for Friday (6-8" seems reasonable), so if we are to get a snow day in the upcoming week, it would be Friday. But because it is the day before vacation--and some teachers we know have big tests scheduled for that day--it's more than likely that we'll see many remote days and only a few select real snow days.

It's going to be a busy week! Snow begets snow--especially in this la nina winter--and we'll definitely keep an eye on Tuesday's and Friday's potential snow events.

Snow x 3

No shilly-shallying with the snow talk tonight. We are expected to see snow Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, none of these storms is expected to be particularly big.

The Friday storm will be brief. Snow will approach from the west-southwest and maybe drop an inch on the Berkshires, with the potential for up to 3" in the higher elevation towns, especially in the northwestern part of the county. We may see rain mix in around noun, but snow showers could return by the end of the day.

An early model run for snow on Tuesday. This, of course, will change.

The nor'easter we hoped would develop for Sunday night does not look like it's going to come together. The northern and southern energy systems appear that they will not form a most beautiful union. The northern system will bring us some snow, but only in the 2-4" range. There's still an outside chance that the northern piece will intensify on the coast and double the current snow forecast, especially in eastern New England, but most weather experts are downplaying that outcome.

And then one more system will develop later on Tuesday. The timing of this storm is less certain--the Euro model shows snow for the afternoon; the North American brings it earlier. Once again, though, we are not expecting more than a few inches, but we it's possible some in Berkshire County could see 5". 

To recap: expect some amount of snow on Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday.

Up Next: Potential for Friday & Sunday Snow

Once again, the models did pretty well in telling us ahead of time how much snow we would get. The low snow total--6.6" in Williamstown--and the high total--15.5" in Becket--were about right. Maybe these models--and the professionals who know how to interpret them--know something after all.

We do think there will be some snow day backlash in the next week or so because of the early release and full snow days called for Monday and Tuesday. We probably could have gotten away with a delay in some parts of North County on Tuesday, so there will definitely be a "market correction" in the next week, especially with February vacation not so far away.

We have two chances for snow and then things might dry up as very cold air will move into the region on Monday. (But be glad we don't live in the Midwest. Minneapolis, for example, is expected to have 75 hours of temperatures below 0 over the next five days. Minus 5 is the expected high temperature for Sunday. No thank you.)

The first storm will come through during the day on Friday. We could see snow first, then perhaps rain, then a return to snow in the evening. We're not talking a lot of snow--4" tops in the higher elevations--but most folks will see a slushy inch or two.

We hyped up a repeat of the nor'easter a few days ago for this Sunday night, but the models are less confident now that another nor'easter is waiting in the wings. Monday night's storm did have two pieces of energy that phased on the coast. For the Super Bowl Sunday storm, there are two pieces of energy--one from the west/northwest and one from the south--but the models are less certain they will phase and deliver us the coastal "bombogenesis" we like to see for a nor'easter. Right now there is about a 30% chance that the low pressure systems will phase. Those are about the same odds as Tom Brady has for winning the big game.

We'll continue to monitor both systems, and hopefully we'll at least add a few inches to our snow base by Monday. If we get through Friday relatively unscathed (due to the potential rain), the snow should be around for at least a few weeks due to the cold air moving in from the Midwest.

Snow Days & Remote Days (Updated)

We've had some key additions and updates this morning. Here's what we know:

CLOSINGS (no remote; true snow day) 

Berkshire Waldorf 

Clarksburg

Farmington River

Gabriel Abbott 

Hancock

Hoosac Valley RSD (upgrade!)

Mount Greylock

Pittsfield 

Stamford (VT) 

REMOTE DAY (no in-person instruction)

Berkshire Hills 

Central Berkshire

Emma Miller

Lee 

Lenox 

North Adams 

Richmond Consolidated

Southern Berkshires

Southern Vermont SU  

OTHER:

Berkshire Montessori -- 2 hour delay 

Child Care of the Berkshires -- 1 hour delay; no transportation; **Norman Rockwell closed 

MCLA -- starting at 10 AM today 

Williams College -- Children's Center Opens at 10 AM

Evening Update: Heavy Bands of Snow Creep North; Closings & Remote Day List

The most important info here is whether or not you have school tomorrow, so we'll put our closings and remote day list first. We'll update it through the evening when/if calls come in. If you want to read a few musings about the storm itself, see below.

CLOSINGS (no remote, no nuthin')

Berkshire Waldorf 

Clarksburg

Farmington River

Gabriel Abbott

Hancock 

Mount Greylock

Stamford (VT) 

REMOTE DAY (no in-person)

Adams-Cheshire

Berkshire Hills 

Central Berkshire

Emma Miller

Lee 

Lenox 

Richmond Consolidated

Southern Berkshires

Southern Vermont SU  

OTHER:

Child Care of the Berkshires -- 1 hour delay; no transportation 

Heavy Snow Still To Come

Even though the main thrust of the storm is still several hours away, we've had an active day with early releases, closures, and remote days called for Tuesday. It's almost like old times!

We're seeing very light snow in most parts of the Berkshires, but there is a very strong band of snow in Connecticut and New York running parallel to the MA/CT border. This band will gradually push northward. Once it gets to your area, you will notice how hard the snow is coming down.

That's an impressively heavy band of snow from northern Philly up and across to Martha's Vineyard. Eventually it will push up into our area.

We're still on track for 8-14 inches in the Berkshires, with the southeast corner and east-facing slopes getting the higher totals. Not much has changed since yesterday in terms of the intensity and timing of the storm. Road travel tonight and tomorrow morning will be very difficult.

Most schools will have either a snow day or a remote day tomorrow. Here's what we know for certain. Please write a comment or reach out through social media if any of this information is incorrect or needs to be updated (@GreylockSnowDa1 Twitter; @greylock_snow_day on Instagram; Greylock Snow Day on Facebook).

FULL CLOSINGS FOR TUESDAY (no remote):

Mount Greylock

Williamstown Community Pre-School

REMOTE DAY FOR TUESDAY (no in-person):

Adams-Cheshire

Central Berkshire

Emma Miller

Snow Arrives Early; More Early Releases, Remote Days & Closures

Meteorologists were off a few hours with the start of the snow, as it now snowing in all places in Berkshire County (as of 6:30 AM). This is advance snow and will be light, but rest assured the heavy stuff is not coming down until much later today.

Here are the early releases for today:

Clarksburg

Emma Miller

Gabriel Abbott

Hancock 

Lee

Lenox

McCann 

Mount Greylock 

Stamford (VT)

Here are the others weather-related situations:

Berkshire Hills (now a FULL REMOTE DAY)

Berkshire Waldorf (still CLOSED)

Child Care of The Berkshires (no transportation today; might close early--stay tuned)

Farmington River (CLOSED) 

Mount Greylock (early release today; CLOSED for TUESDAY) 

Richmond Consolidated (FULL REMOTE DAY)

Southern Berkshire (CLOSED)