Readings will recover somewhat this afternoon, approaching freezing after staying in the 20s yesterday.
The brilliant blue sky is thanks to high pressure, which brings sinking air and a lack of cloudiness. As this high-pressure area, with a northerly flow on the right side and a southerly flow on the left, moves to the east, that return air mass will come progressively milder quite quickly.
Overnight readings will stay within a couple of degrees of 20, nearly 10 degrees higher than last night. This will set us up for a much milder Tuesday. Temperatures will be getting into the 40s along with mostly sunny skies. Some clouds could appear at the end of the day.
Then on Wednesday, a southerly flow continues and we will have moisture along with it. The morning commute should be dry, but the evening commute will feature some rain. Unfortunately, for winter sports enthusiasts, this mild air is going to head into Northern New England as well with mostly liquid precipitation even there.
A soaking rain will develop Wednesday night along with gusty winds. We haven't seen a weather system like this in a while and this is likely to wash away much of the remainder of the snow and ice across a good portion of Southern New England. With temperatures getting into the 50s on Wednesday, staying in the 40s Wednesday night and back to the 50s Thursday, mud season will be the theme.
I'm expecting several areas to receive an inch of precipitation, which isn't excessive and without deep snow cover anything other than street flooding shouldn't be a problem. Colder and blustery conditions return for Friday and should remain that way into the weekend.
Boston Area: Look for sunshine today with temperatures staying in the 20s with light wind. It will be milder in the 40s tomorrow.
Central and Western Mass.: After starting in the single digits, sunshine gets temperatures to near 30 this afternoon. It's back to the mid-40s tomorrow with a blend of clouds and sun.
Cape and Islands: By afternoon, temperatures will be about 15 degrees warmer than this morning, approaching 30. A blend of clouds and sun Tuesday.
Rhode Island: Sunny with a high near 34, low around 20. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
New Hampshire: Sunshine along with temperatures approaching 30 in the extreme southern areas and reaching the low 20s up north.
Maine: Look for sunshine today with temperatures in the 20s to the south and 10s to the north. It's a bit milder Tuesday with highs in the 30s in the north end near 40 over the south.
Vermont: There will be plenty of sunshine today with temperatures reaching the low and mid-20s. Tuesday with a mix of clouds and sun, readings will reach near 40.