High Wind, Flood Warning For Weekend Storm Across MA

MASSACHUSETTS — Holiday revelers will have to hold onto their hats Sunday afternoon into Monday with wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour or higher possible for Cape Ann, Cape Cod and the Southcoast during a period of heavy rain.

"There is the potential for some of the stronger winds to mix down during convective showers," the National Weather Service said on Friday morning.

A gale warning has been issued for coastal areas of Massachusetts.

A nice Friday and warm and mostly quiet Saturday with temperatures in the 50s will give way to a stormy Sunday with showers developing in the afternoon and the winds whipping up from the south at night.

"A strong frontal system has the potential to bring a period of heavy rain, strong southerly winds and coastal flooding along the south coast late Sunday into Monday," the National Weather Service said in its latest forecast "A few snow showers across northwest Massachusetts are possible Monday afternoon and evening as the system departs."

A Flood Watch is in effect Sunday afternoon through Monday evening across several Massachusetts counties: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Middlesex and Worcester.

The Monday morning commute could be a messy one with high winds and rain persisting through the morning before a colder shot of air may bring some snow showers closer to Boston.

Next week is looking seasonable with temperatures in the 40s — normal for this time of year in southern and central New England — and little chance of rain or snow.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)