Snow Might Be Done, But Watch For Freezing Rain And Icy Roads

The much-anticipated storm has arrived, and while we're not shoveling as much snow as some people thought we would, the storm still has a bit of a punch.

Before the change to a mix of rain and snow, several inches fell across much of the area south of the Mass Pike. To the north, the snow lasted a little bit longer so there are a few more inches in places.

The big story today is going to be the heavy rain over southeastern Massachusetts and the mixed bag of sleet and freezing rain to the north.

The rain could cause street flooding and large puddles where catch basins are full or clogged. Since the ground is frozen, water can drain into places that it typically doesn't, so check your basement.

To the north, where there's sleet and freezing rain, untreated roads will become slippery.

The biggest concern — and it's not a sure bet — is that cold air drains down from the north and we end up with an area of freezing rain that could accumulate enough to create power outages. The most likely spots for this would be western Worcester County, on up toward the New Hampshire border.

Cold air is much heavier and denser than warm air. Right now, it's close to zero degrees across much of central and northern parts of Maine, and that air is eventually going to drain quickly down into the region. It will still be too warm for snow at the higher levels of the atmosphere, so when the rain comes down it's going to freeze on everything. These things are difficult to predict exactly where they happen but I want to make you aware that there is that possibility.

All of us will see a flash freeze this evening as temperatures crash and any residual moisture rapidly freezes. This is when major accidents can happen. The road surfaces can become very slick in a matter of less than an hour and before they can be treated.