Forecast: A wet, windy Monday ushers in a sharp temperature drop

Wet weather Monday

• Expect minor flooding in poor-drainage urban areas and along several local rivers and small streams. In Massachusetts, keep a close eye on the Deerfield, Sudbury and Taunton basins in particular.
• This system has a good chunk of energy with it, which will promote the risk of thunderstorms throughout the day and into the night.
• Monday is a classic “pothole day.” This is the kind of early spring soaking that finds every weakness left behind by a long winter of plowing and road salt. Between the heavy rain and poor drainage, deep puddles will form and aren't just a hydroplaning risk — they are often hiding deep, tire-popping potholes.

Damaging winds overnight

• The numbers: Widespread gusts of 40 to 50 mph are likely. However, from Eastern Essex County down to Cape Cod, we could see gusts hitting 50–60 mph.
• The impact: Unlike a winter nor'easter, there won't be heavy snow weighing down branches. However, the ground is incredibly soft and wet, making it much easier for trees to uproot. Expect scattered power outages and damage.

The St. Patrick’s Day switch

• Charge up: Keep phones and devices charged this evening in case of localized outages during the midnight wind peak.
• Drainage: For those with a storm drain near their house that’s blocked by leftover winter debris, clearing it now could prevent basement flooding later Monday.
• Timing: The rain may end with a quick burst of snow in the far northern and western parts of New England. But for Boston, it’s a liquid event followed by colder air. Don't worry too much about the moisture freezing up as the wind will dry out wet spots fairly quickly and the temperature doesn't drop below freezing until Tuesday evening.