MA Weather Forecast: 2 Feet Of Snow, And When The Storm Starts

Could Wednesday's nor'easter unleash 2 feet of snow on Massachusetts? Newly released weather maps have dropped a load of fresh information on the upcoming storm, including rapidly increasing snow forecast totals that are beginning to get out of control.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday morning released a new snow total map that increases the high-end totals in parts of northern Mass. to 18-24 inches while moving the rain/snow line farther east, meaning heavier snow totals in parts of Eastern Mass. Communities north and west of Boston could now be getting up to 18 inches, while the Boston area itself is still looking at 6-8 inches.

Areas south of Boston, many of which make up the more than 20,000 still without power from the last storm, are expected to get primarily rain. See the new snow total map below.

"The big problem is that the storm this week is coming so soon after the destructive storm from last Friday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "It will disrupt cleanup and restoration operations and is likely to cause a new but less extreme round of travel delays, power outages and damage from falling trees."

Where will it rain, snow?

The rain/snow line may seem like something you want to be to the east of, but that's where the heavy, wet snow will be. That means an increased likelihood of power outages as the precipitation weighs down on tree limbs and power lines.

This morning's maps show the rain/snow line has moved east. Snow totals in the pink areas below are likely to fluctuate depending on the temperature.

When will this happen?

The NWS said this morning to expect precipitation in much of Massachusetts by about noon Wednesday, making its way to the coast by 1 p.m., and heading out to the Cape by 2. By the Wednesday evening commute, up to 2-3 inches of snow per hour could be falling.

Storm-weary school districts may start calling school off Tuesday night. Subscribe to your local Patch for the latest on that and other community news throughout the storm and beyond.

Anything else to know?

• The wind talk is taking a backseat to the snow totals, but you can still expect gusts between 30-50 miles per hour to sweep across the state Wednesday. The strongest totals will be near the coast.
• Flooding is another major concern. Coastal towns which haven't yet dried out can expect another round, but even some inland communities have to battle floods.
• Don't be out on the water. Forecasters are expecting very hazardous ocean conditions.

FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2015, file photo, a car remains buried in snow along a residential street in South Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)