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Here comes the deep freeze: How cold will it be in the Berkshires? | Weather

Here comes the deep freeze: How cold will it be in the Berkshires? | Weather

As the calendar changes on Sunday, it suddenly feels like winter, and even parts of Berkshire County look that way, too.

“Arctic air will have lingering strength over the eastern United States as it lifts in waves toward the southeast during the first week of December.” AccuWeather.com meteorologist Paul Pastelok he commented on an online post.

December 1 marks the beginning of meteorological winter, and Pastelok noted that conditions could feel more like midseason, factoring in a bone-chilling wind. Coming after a warm drop, this will add further shock value to the persistent cold pattern.

Thanksgiving storm dropped an inch of snow At Pittsfield Municipal Airport, slightly more at Harriman-and-West Airport in North Adams and 9 inches at Savoy. South of Pittsfield it was all rain or at best a dusting of snow on grassy surfaces and windshields.

But to our west and north, It was a blockbuster for the end of November — 12 to 15 inches of snow were reported in the southern Greens of Vermont — Londonderry, Peru and Prospect Mountain Ski Area in Woodford, all in Bennington County. Observers in higher elevation areas of eastern New York, including Albany County and Saratoga County, measured 6 to 14 inches on Thursday.

for the Berkshires A stormy deep freeze begins this weekend and will continue throughout the next week; After a mostly sunny Saturday, skies will be partly cloudy. West-southwest winds during the day will help make below-normal temperatures even colder.

Historical averages for early December range from 25 to 40, but The forecast shows we will be at least 10 degrees below normal From Sunday until the following weekend.

Rain or snow is not expected until Wednesday night, at which time there is a chance of snowfall. November ends with just over 5 inches of rain and melting snow in Pittsfield; This is close to 60 percent of normal.

But the three-month period after September 1 remains one of the driest periods since government records began at the airport in 1939. Despite some relief, the region is not yet free from drought.

Like daylight continues to fade Over the next three weeks, we enter our darkest afternoons; sunset at 4:21 until 4:19 at the earliest, then we start to recover very slowly on December 18th. The early hours of our darkest mornings begin on December 29 (7:22 a.m.) until January 8.

Climate Prediction Center’s long-term forecast Temperatures for December 7-13 indicate below normal and near normal precipitation.


day by day

Saturday: Mostly sunny, mid-30s; Partly cloudy at night, the lowest temperature is around 15.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, around 32; Somewhat cloudy at night, low in the upper teens.

Monday: Partly sunny, mid-30s; mostly cloudy at night, teens.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy, around 32, dropping to around 15 overnight.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, low 30s; Mostly cloudy, chances of snowfall at night, low around 15.

Thursday: Some sunshine, mid-30s; Cloudy after dark, mid 20s.

Friday: Partly cloudy, chance of light snowfall in the afternoon and evening, high around 30, low around 15.

Saturday (December 7): Partly cloudy, cooler, highest temperature around 25, lowest temperature overnight around 10.

Sources: National Weather Service and AccuWeather.com Forecasts for Berkshire County.

The Outlook reviews the past week and previews the week ahead for Berkshire County and beyond. Clarence Fanto can be reached at [email protected].