A coastal storm passed south of southern New England on Saturday with an inverted trough extending NW over the region. This led to widespread 3-5 inches of snow in central and eastern MA, eastern CT, and RI.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.
A coastal storm passed south of southern New England on Saturday with an inverted trough extending NW over the region. This led to widespread 3-5 inches of snow in central and eastern MA, eastern CT, and RI. However, there were two heavy bands that set up over northeast MA and eastern CT/RI which dropped narrow swaths of 9-13 inches of snow. Impacts were more limited because it was a weekend.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 6, 6:13 PM EST, 3 hours 47 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
613 PM EST Fri Feb 6 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
A winter storm watch has been issued for Essex county, beginning 4
AM Saturday through 7 PM Saturday. Winter weather advisories have
been issued for the same time period for the remainder of eastern MA
into the Worcester Hills and down into RI.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Widespread 2-4 inches of snow likely later tonight through Sat,
with localized bands of heavier snow across northeast MA, possibly
up to 8 inches in Essex county, including Cape Ann. Less snow
westward into CT and western MA. Ocean effect snow showers over
Cape Cod Sat night.
- Dangerous cold Saturday night into Sunday, gusty winds will
lend to wind chills 10-30 degrees below zero. In addition,
freezing spray becomes hazardous for the mariners.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Widespread 2-4 inches of snow later tonight through
Sat, but localized bands of heavier snow over northeast MA, possibly
yielding amounts up to 8 inches. Ocean effect snow showers over Cape
Cod Sat night.
-AO and -NAO teleconnections yielding a very suppressed polar jet
this period, with storm track well south of New England. However,
this supports a potent, high latitude closed low to descend from
James Bay into New England this weekend. This feature will be
accompanied by an arctic front Sat, which will yield a complex snow
event for SNE. This vigorous closed low induces cyclogenesis well
southeast of the 40N/70W benchmark Sat. However, such strong forcing
for ascent results in an inverted/Norlun trough from the offshore
low extending northwest into SNE Sat. This will result in narrow
bands of snow Sat moving west to east across CT/MA/RI.
Model data reveals a combination of steep low level lapse rates (up
to 9C/km in 0-2 km layer), deep saturated layer, strong convergence
and at least modest omega in the snow growth region, will yield a 2-
4 hr period of moderate to perhaps heavy snow at times, from late
Sat morning into the afternoon. The snow squall parameter ramps up
rapidly between 18-22z across eastern MA Sat afternoon. 12z NAM
bufkit for KBVY, indicates up to 20 u/bars of lift in the -10C to -
15C layer 15z-18z. This should yield favorable SLR and low vsbys.
This is also supported by HREF offering 30-50% probs of hourly
snowfall rates exceeding 1" and 20-30% for greater than 2" per hour,
with these high rates focused across eastern MA westward into RI and
the Worcester Hills. Duration of strong lift, deep saturation and
steep low level lapse rates is brief (2-4 hr window) and this will
limit accumulations to mainly 2 to 4 inches, with highest amounts
across RI and central-eastern MA.
This boundary becomes more enhanced as it enters eastern MA, with
multiple models generating over 0.50 inches of qpf across Essex
county, with some ocean effect enhancement contributing to the
higher totals. In addition, the 13z NBM (v5.0) snow probs have 20-
30% probs of 8+ inches across Essex county, esp the Cape Ann area,
and 50% prob of 6+ inches of snow. Given multiple models have strong
low level convergence, steep low level lapse rates, a deep saturated
layer and at least modest forcing for ascent in the snow growth
region, will hoist a small winter storm watch area for Essex county.
Snowfall projections here will be for 4-8", with even a low prob of
isolated higher amounts pending the evolution of this mesoscale snow
band associated with the inverted/Norlun trough. Keep in mind, these
mesoscale snow bands are very difficult to forecast and this is a
situation where snowfall amounts can vary greatly over short
distance. Thus, continue to check back and monitor our updated
forecast. For the remainder of coastal eastern MA, given the OES
component, isolated amounts of up to 6 inches is possible.
For the remainder of the region, the short duration/progressive
nature of the snow bands, thinking most locations across the
remainder of eastern and central MA into RI will experience 2-4".
Thus, have issued a winter weather advisory for this area. Given the
boundary is not as robust as it enters western MA into CT, thinking
less snowfall here, 1-3". Hence, did not issue an advisory for this
region. Not a blockbuster snow event, but roads will become snow
covered and travel will become difficult, especially in
northeast MA from late morning into the afternoon.
The snow should taper off in the early afternoon in CT/western MA
behind the arctic front, then exiting offshore 4-7 PM across eastern
MA.
KEY MESSAGE 2...Dangerous cold Saturday night into Sunday, gusty
winds will lend to wind chills 10-30 degrees below zero. In addition,
freezing spray becomes hazardous for the mariners.
Forecast confidence is high for dangerous cold conditions Saturday
night through Sunday, in addition, high confidence in heavy freezing
spray across most waters, with the exception of Boston Harbor. This
is all brought by an Arctic front, arriving late Saturday afternoon
as 925mb temperatures fall from 7-10 below zero to 20-25 below zero
cross the interior and 10-15 below zero across the coastal plain. In
conjunction is a 925mb LLJ with winds 35-45 knots, with is roughly
the height of the mixed layer. Strong northwest winds 30-40 mph will
make the air temperature, which will be 5-10 below zero across the
interior and 0-5 above zero across the coastal plain. Warmest areas
are the outer Cape and Nantucket where lows are in the low teens.
There hasn't been changes to the headlines. The Extreme Cold Warning
and Cold Weather Advisory go in effect Saturday evening into Sunday
afternoon. The only area in southern New England not included is
Nantucket. Areas under the Extreme Cold Warning should prepare for
wind chill values as low as 20-30 degrees below zero. As for areas
under the Cold Weather Advisory, wind chill values are expected to
be as low as 15-20 degrees below zero. There isn't much improvement
Sunday afternoon, while the 925mb jet diminishes, surface winds
remain gusty 20-30 mph. Leading to wind chill values Sunday
afternoon in the single digits on either side of zero.
During this time, it's worth reminding boater of heavy freezing
spray across all the waters as icing rates could reach 0.5-1.0 inch
per hour. This has prompted a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for all
waters with exception of Boston Harbor, where a Freezing Spray
Advisory has been issued.
A 1035mb high builds in Sunday night into Monday across the eastern
Great Lakes, leading to diminishing winds. Still very cold, it's a
possibility there may be a need for Cold Weather Advisory headlines
again Sunday night into Monday morning. Opt'd to hold off on any
issuances at this time as not to cause confusion with the more
dangerous of the cold. Nevertheless, air temperatures are only a
degree or three higher Sunday night into Monday morning, but with
less wind, the wind chill values are expected to be 5-15 degrees
below zero with far interior Massachusetts as low as 20-25 degrees
below zero.
The area of high pressure remains Monday and Tuesday, below normal
temperatures continue into early next week, daytime highs are in the
teens and 20s on Monday, near 30 on Tuesday, and trending towards
the middle 30s for Wednesday and Thursday. Outside of a weak clipper
system on Tuesday there is fairly quiet conditions early next week.
Will need to monitor a mid to late week system, though there is low
confidence in this part of the forecast due model disagreement on
placement and timing. Stay tuned.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...
Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.
00z TAF Update...No significant changes. Lowering cigs/vsbys
after midnight as snow develops.
Tonight into Saturday...Moderate confidence.
Conditions lowering to MVFR-IFR as areas of snow develop from
late evening through Sat. Localized heavier snow bands possible
with LIFR conditions, especially Sat in eastern MA. Gusts 20-25
knots develop by mid-morning, increasing to up to 30 knots by
the afternoon.
Saturday night...Moderate confidence.
MVFR becoming VFR as the night goes on and snow starts to clear
the region. Some snow showers may linger longer towards the
Cape.
Outlook /Saturday Night through Wednesday/...
Sunday: VFR. Windy with gusts up to 35 kt.
Sunday Night: VFR. Windy with local gusts up to 30 kt.
Monday through Monday Night: VFR. Breezy.
Tuesday through Tuesday Night: VFR.
Wednesday: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Chance SN.
&&
.MARINE...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...
Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.
2 PM update...
Headlines:
* Gale Warnings from Sat afternoon into Sunday.
* Heavy Freezing Spray warnings for Saturday afternoon through
early Mon morning.
Light NE winds through tonight, then increasing NE winds Sat morning
turning N-NW later Sat into Sun with gusts increasing to 35-40 kt
behind the arctic front. Areas of heavy freezing spray will develop,
especially Sat night as gusty winds combine with arctic air moving
into the region. Heavy freezing spray produces ice accretion rates
up to 1 inch/hr creating very dangerous conditions for vessels.
Outlook /Saturday Night through Wednesday/...
Sunday: Strong winds with gusts up to 35 kt. Rough seas up to
12 ft. Freezing spray, slight chance of snow.
Sunday Night: Strong winds with gusts up to 30 kt. Rough seas
up to 9 ft. Freezing spray.
Monday through Monday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to
5 ft. Freezing spray.
Tuesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft.
Tuesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt.
Wednesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain, slight
chance of snow.
&&
.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...Extreme Cold Warning from 6 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for
CTZ002>004.
MA...Extreme Cold Warning from 6 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for
MAZ002>004-008>012.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 7 PM EST Saturday for
MAZ004-005-012>021-026.
Cold Weather Advisory from 6 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday
for MAZ005>007-013>023-026.
Winter Storm Watch from 4 AM EST Saturday through Saturday
evening for MAZ006-007.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM Saturday to 1 AM EST Sunday
for MAZ022>024.
RI...Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 7 PM EST Saturday for
RIZ001>008.
Cold Weather Advisory from 6 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday
for RIZ001>008.
MARINE...Gale Warning from 4 PM Saturday to 7 AM EST Sunday for ANZ230-
236.
Freezing Spray Advisory from 4 PM Saturday to 7 PM EST Sunday
for ANZ230.
Gale Warning from 4 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for ANZ231-
232-250-251-254.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 4 PM Saturday to 7 AM EST
Monday for ANZ231>237-250-251-254>256.
Gale Warning from 1 PM Saturday to 10 AM EST Sunday for
ANZ233>235-237.
Gale Warning from 1 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for ANZ255-
256.
&&
DISCUSSION...Dooley/Nocera
AVIATION...KJC/McMinn/Nocera
MARINE...Dooley/NoceraThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Generally 7 to 12 inches of snow fell. Some of the highest amounts included 11.6 inches in Westerly and 11.5 inches in Charlestown.
Generally 5 to 8 inches of snow fell, with the highest report being 7 inches in New Shoreham.
Generally 5 to 7 inches of snow fell. The highest amounts was 6.2 inches in Coventry.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Rhode Island in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, February 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1304880, 1304882, 1304878.