The excitement is rising as our probability for snow continues to increase for Sunday night in New England, with expected snowfall totals rising since our last update.

First we enjoy a little warmup and a little chance for rain Saturday afternoon. By the middle of the week, the warmup will be a distant memory.

Weekend:

Highs increase to the 40s on this Saturday, and we have scattered rain moving in between 4 and 9 p.m. It’s a quick rain chance, with around 0.1-0.25 inches falling overall as the rain moves out quickly.

After that system, we open the door to cooler air and the setup for snow Sunday. We stay in the upper 30s with increasing clouds as a coastal low develops off the Carolina coast Sunday.

Timing and snow totals:

The entire day remains dry with some clouds and pretty calm conditions. Then, by the evening, the storm heads our way.

At 4 p.m., a few snow showers move in, south to north.

As the low pressure system strengthens and passes offshore, it swings in more wind and snow through 8 p.m. Some ocean enhanced bands are possible and this helps to crank out higher snow rates, which helps to cool our temps, to increase some snow totals.

By midnight our mixing continues to turn to more snow on the South Shore, in Boston and on the Cape & islands. That rain/snow line sets up near the upper Cape and inland initially, then moves southeast overnight.

The back half of the storm is where we get the 1-2 inches of snow for the Cape & Islands with slush.

Meanwhile, in Boston we see steady snowfall for several hours and for areas inland Sunday night.

By Monday morning, we plow out of 4-8 inches of snow. Some areas will pick up 8 inches north and west of Interstate 495, based on fluffier snow consistency inland.

The storm tapers and moves early Monday morning. This leads to more arctic air and highs in the 20s by afternoon.

Temps may crash down as early as midnight in Boston, to teens by sunrise Monday. Watch for icy roads and quick snow accumulations then.

Snow rates between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. will be 1-2 inches per hour in some spots.

Wind & Coast:

As is typical with an offshore low, we have a period of northeast wind gusts. The pressure center lowers enough to gust up to 30-40 mph at the coast, with inland spots up to 20 mph overnight Sunday.

While this isn’t quite damaging wind, it will be a nuisance on top of a period of heavy snow.

The shoreline will see some erosion on beaches as waves increase Monday morning as the low departs to the Canadian Maritimes. No coastal flooding is expected since tides are astronomically low.

10-Day Outlook:

Prepare for some wicked cold. The coldest air in two years creeps in Monday, with highs in the 20s, but wait — there’s more.

Highs fall to the teens Tuesday and Wednesday with lows around zero in southern New England. Wind chills are expected to be below zero. We modify temps later next week as a nearby storm systems bring in some precipitation chances to the northeast.

BOSTON — Michael Callahan thought he was headed to Syracuse.

The Providence Bruins defenseman practiced in Rhode Island on Tuesday morning and was packed for the 5-hour, 300-mile trip west to face the Crunch in a showdown between Boston and Tampa’s top affiliates.

But the call came late. Get his bags off the bus. The 25-year-old from Franklin was headed north. And instead of facing their AHL team, Callahan was going to make his NHL debut against the Lightning varsity at TD Garden. With a short window, Callahan didn’t have time to chase tickets for a large crowd. He found tickets for his parents and siblings. A few friends founds seats on their own, but he kept his attention on being ready.

“The guys in here it’s a great room to walk right in and feel comfortable,” he said. “They made me feel comfortable right away. Going out there, felt good, confident just, just wanted to go out and play my game and help the team and it’s nice to geta win.”

The Bruins made the move late after putting Charlie McAvoy on injured reserve and Hampus Lindholm, (who has been out since November) on long-term injured reserve, leaving them without their two top defenseman. Their instructions for Callahan were simple.

“Just be strong defensively, be hard on pucks and make plays when they’re there. I feel like I was I was confident in my chances with the puck and defending as well,” Callahan said. “Got to play in some good situations against some good players. Felt good. There were definitely some nerves, but just walking in here, the guys make you feel comfortable right away. The nerves kind of faded once the game started for sure.”

Callahan, who was paired with Andrew Peeke, played 22 shifts over 14 minutes, 11 seconds and was plus-1 in the Bruins’ 6-2 victory.

“I thought Cally did a good job in his first NHL game tonight,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said. “Not an easy team to play against. I thought he handled himself fine.”

After the game, Trent Frederic snared him a puck to commemorate the night.

“I’ll have that forever,” he said.

Bostonians should prepare for an active stretch of weather that will bring everything from rain and snow to the season’s coldest air yet.

Here’s what to expect in the city and across the region as this dynamic weather pattern unfolds.

The weekend is kicking off on the mild side, with temperatures climbing into the 40s under increasing clouds.

Rain showers are expected to develop early to mid-afternoon, becoming steadier by late day and evening.

Farther north, in the mountains of northern New England, snow will fall at higher elevations, with summit accumulations of 2–4 inches likely.

The rain will taper off by late evening, but don’t let your guard down. Overnight, temperatures will fall to near freezing in Boston and drop below freezing north of the city.

These conditions will create a risk for black ice on untreated surfaces Sunday morning. This reminder is especially important for areas north of the Mass Pike, where freezing conditions are expected to be more widespread.

Keep a close eye on your car thermometer; if readings fall around 32 degrees and roadways look shiny, use caution.

Sunday brings a calm start, but don’t let the lull fool you.

By early afternoon, snow will start spreading into western New England and move eastward by the late afternoon.

For Boston, the snow will begin later in the day and may initially mix with rain before transitioning to all snow as colder air filters southward.

The heaviest snow is expected during the evening and overnight hours, with accumulation estimates currently pointing to 2–4 inches in the city.

West and north of Boston, snow amounts will increase, with over 8 inches possible outside of 495 through the interior. Southeastern Massachusetts will see less accumulation, on the order of a coating to an inch or two depending on location since it takes longer to make the transition to snow. And at that point, there won't be a whole lot of moisture left.

The bulk of the snow will taper off after midnight to leftover snow showers and flurries: so it's in and out fairly quickly.

By Monday morning, the storm will be pulling away, but the coldest air of the season will be rushing in to take its place.

High temperatures in Boston are expected to stay in the low 20s, with wind chills making it feel closer to 10 degrees or even lower throughout the day.

The truly frigid air arrives Monday night, with lows dropping into the single digits across Boston and subzero temperatures in surrounding areas north and west of Boston.

Wind chills will plunge further, creating dangerously cold conditions, especially for those in northern New England.

Tuesday and Wednesday will likely be the coldest days of the season so far, with daytime highs stuck in the teens and single digits inland. Wind chills will drop as low as -10 degrees. It’s the kind of cold that demands preparation — layer up, limit outdoor exposure, and make sure any pets or animals are taken care of.

Advocates for Boston's homeless population are preparing for the drop in temperatures. Barbara Trevisan, a spokesperson for the Pine Street Inn, said outreach workers will spend more time checking on people on the streets and encourage them to come indoors to stay safe from the cold.

“They will check on people several times throughout the night, even have them come into the van and sit to warm up for a while,” Trevisan said.

Homelessness has been on the rise, and shelters are already crowded. About 600 people stay overnight at Pine Street’s shelters now, compared to roughly 500 at the same time last year, Trevisan said. She said Pine Street is setting up lobbies and other common spaces to accommodate more people.

“In some places there are chairs rather than places where people can lay down, but at least they can get in from the cold,” she said.

Advocates say if you notice someone outside who might be in distress, call 911 for help.

For those traveling or commuting, it’s important to stay ahead of the conditions. Untreated surfaces may become slick as early as late afternoon and evening Sunday, with Monday morning likely to be impacted by snowy and icy patches as the Arctic air freezes everything solid.

While the current forecast points to a plowable snow event for Boston and surrounding areas, the exact placement of the rain-snow line remains a key factor.

Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands are likely to see more rain than snow, but any delay in the arrival of colder air could limit snowfall totals for Boston.

On the other hand, if the storm intensifies or tracks slightly farther north, snow amounts in and around the city could increase.

Keep an eye on the evolving forecast, as details about the storm and snow totals may be refined further this weekend.

With reporting from WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey.

This article was originally published on January 17, 2025.

Buckle up! We’re tracking a rollercoaster ride of weather here in Boston for the next several days, starting with rain, then snow, and some dangerously cold temperatures afterward.

Rain today in the Boston area:

Grab your rain gear! We’re tracking a cold front that will bring scattered rain to the area by Saturday afternoon.

Some heavy rain is possible by evening, but no severe weather is expected.

Some areas will see more rain than others, but overall, we’re expecting about a quarter to a half inch of rain today. The rain pushes east later tonight.

High temperatures will climb into the low to mid 40s this afternoon with breezy south winds, gusting to 25-30 mph.

Snow Sunday into Monday — expected totals, timing:

Mother Nature is brewing a winter storm that will likely impact Massachusetts with snow starting on Sunday. In fact, Sunday is a First Alert Day.

We’re keeping an eye on an area of low pressure that is forecast to move up the East Coast. Most likely, the low will remain offshore as it tracks north, and as temperatures fall from the upper 30s to the lower 20s in Boston by Sunday night, we will see some accumulation.

As for the big question, how much snow will we get? For Boston and much of Greater Boston, including coastal North Shore and much of the South Shore, we’ll likely see between 3 and 6 inches of snow. Parts of Central Mass. could see between 5 and 8 inches of snow. Communities on the Cape and the Islands will likely see lesser amounts of snow — for now, a coating up to 2 or 3 inches of snow are possible.

Could these forecast totals change? Absolutely! The amount of snow will ultimately come down to the track of the storm.

If low pressure stays offshore or wobbles to the east, we’ll likely have more snow, as more cold air mixes in. However, if low pressure tracks right along our coast, rain could put a cap on some of the snow potential for some coastal areas, pushing the highest snow totals farther inland into interior sections of the Commonwealth. So we still have some time to fine-tune the forecast.

Snow showers will continue over Sunday into Monday, likely wrapping up before 7 or 8 a.m. Much of Monday will be dry, but slicks spots are likely on roads, bridges and sidewalks. High temperatures will be in the lower 20s.

Winter storm snow maps and live radar:

Here's what the rain- and snowfall will look like across New England Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Dangerously cold temperatures

Brace yourself for the coldest air of the season early to midweek next week.

Right now, First Alerts are posted for Tuesday and Wednesday, when Arctic air will dive toward our area, giving way to morning low temperatures in the single digits Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Wind chill values will be in the negatives.

This is cold weather that you don’t want to play with. Start thinking of your pets, your family and your elderly neighbors during this long stretch of weather.

Highs will rebound into the low to mid 30s by next Friday.

MASSACHUSETTS — How hot is the real estate market in the Bay State's largest metro area?

In a new analysis, the online real estate marketplace Zillow ranked the 50 largest U.S. metro areas based on the company’s home value growth projections, how quickly homes sell, job growth, new construction permits, and expected growth in owner-occupied housing.

Buffalo, New York, is projected to be the hottest housing market this year, the first time it has held the title in back-to-back years, Zillow said. Boston ranks in 16th place.

Under Zillow's formula, Boston home values increased 4.7 percent to an average value of $694,494, and are expected to grow another 2.1 percent in 2025.

One major problem facing homebuyers looking to purchase in Boston — to the surprise of no one who has explored such a move — is inventory. Zillow's forecast said that Boston's inventory of homes available for purchase has dropped 45.8 percent since the pre-COVID years of 2018 and 2019.

Find out what's happening in Across Massachusettsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Behind Buffalo, the hottest markets are Indianapolis; Providence, Rhode Island; Hartford, Connecticut; Philadelphia; St. Louis; Charlotte, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; and Salt Lake City, respectively.

Zillow said its 2024 forecast that Buffalo would have the hottest real estate market in 2024 was proven out in its market heat index. The city has the most new jobs per new homes permitted, Zillow said, noting that new jobs often mean new residents, which raises competition and drives up prices unless builders can match the additional demand.

Affordability is a top consideration for buyers. Zillow said lower-than-average home prices and rent costs in Buffalo, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, pushed those cities to the top 10.

Buyers consider "relative affordability," too. Providence, Rhode Island; Hartford, Connecticut; and Philadelphia are close, more affordable alternatives to expensive Northeast cities such as New York or Boston, Zillow said.

Among the fastest-growing markets is Virginia Beach, which leapfrogged over 23 other markets to the No. 13 spot in this year’s forecast. Memphis, Tennessee, fell the farthest, dropping 30 places as new housing permits eclipsed low job growth.

The western half of the country was shut out of the top 10 in 2024, but this year, Salt Lake City came in at No. 10. San Diego was the only other Western metro in the top 20.

Cities at the bottom of the ranking are New Orleans; San Francisco; San Jose, California; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; Minneapolis; Denver; Memphis, Tennessee; Milwaukee; and New York City, respectively.