Boston Could See Record Cold Weather This Weekend, Because Why Not?

Screenshot via Twitter/NWS Boston

Guess it’s easy to keep your distance when it’s too chilly to go outside.

Mother Nature is threatening to bring some unusual and potentially record-setting cold to the region this weekend, and although Boston is unlikely to see much snow, it’s shaping up to be pretty wintry out there.

The National Weather Service of Boston forecasts a low pressure system will pull some frigid air from central Canada down into the Northeast beginning Friday night into Saturday. Some snow is expected elsewhere, particularly in the northern New England and in parts of Western Mass, while Bostonians can expect to see some chilly rain, with temperatures in the mid-30s.

“It’s fairly unusual,” says Alan Dunham, NWS meteorologist. “It’s not often you get snow in the first week of May. It’s not unheard of, but it does happen.”

If Boston does see some flakes, they probably won’t stick around long. Still, the blast of cold air—the brunt of it is expected to arrive Friday night into Saturday—could set low-temperature record in Boston. The coldest May 9 on record was 35 degrees, set in 1977.

Ah, spring. Don’t we love it?

[Friday night through Saturday Night] Winter conditions return in May. Accumulating snow likely Fri night over the higher terrain, then blustery and unseasonably cold weather for Sat/Sat night more typical of March. pic.twitter.com/KjqqfebiYR

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) May 7, 2020

What’s all the fuss about cold Sat? Weather balloons have been launched 2X daily at Chatham #MA since 1970. This graphic plots temps at ~ 5,000 ft (850 mb) for all those launches. The coldest recorded temp May 10th is -7C & -9C 4 all of May. Colder temps are possible Sat/Sat ngt! pic.twitter.com/vqpCxvavEf

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) May 6, 2020