Forecast: Weekend Brings Spring-Like Weather Before Cold, Snow Return

Mild temperatures and a bit of sunshine are on their way - making this weekend a spring teaser of sorts.

The melting of limited snowpack will continue, making way for new snow next week.

This morning is not as cold as the past several daysb and by this afternoon all areas will hit and surpass the melting point. I expect 40F to be common south of the turnpike, with upper 30s to the north. If you have an opportunity to get outside this afternoon take it, as this will be the brightest of the next several days.

Saturday features a lot of cloud cover, but there won't be any rain or snow. Highs will be slightly cooler than today without the sunshine, but still in the mid to upper 30s. A weak and fast moving system to our west brings some light rain showers later Saturday night into the first few hours after Sunday's sunrise. Sunday will be the mildest of the next seven days, and it will certainly have that spring feeling as temperatures rise well into the 40s.

A coastal low will brush by on Monday, and we will have to keep a close eye on how far the precipitation shield pushes west to the coast. There could be some snow during the morning commute Monday south of Boston.

A lull in the action is around for Tuesday with dry and seasonably cold weather. A more important storm will impact the area Tuesday night and Wednesday. Right now, I expect the morning and afternoon commutes to be impacted. While the forecast will change, there is a strong enough likelihood in a mid-week storm to recommend thinking about changing plans any plans you might have for late Tuesday until Wednesday.

Today: Partly sunny and milder high 37-42.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, not so cold lows in the mid-20s.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, highs 36-41.

Saturday night: A passing rain shower late at night. Lows 33-38.

Sunday: Any showers end early, cloudy and mild in the afternoon. Highs 43-48.

Sunday night: A period of snow south of Boston, mixed rain/snow near the Cape. 28-35.

Monday: Any snow ends then. Partly sunny, with highs 30-35.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Tuesday night: Snow. Lows in the mid-upper 20s.

Wednesday: Rain, snow and sleet. Temperatures in the 30s.

Follow updates from David Epstein on Twitter @growingwisdom.