MA Weather: Spring Nor'easter On Deck Tonight, Tomorrow

A nor'easter is expected to start late Thursday evening and intensify overnight into late Friday morning. Fans of spring can relax - Massachusetts is looking at just rain - but it will be a powerful storm to kick off the season.

The storm is set to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the region, with some snow in high-elevation areas but likely to be absent in Massachusetts. The Boston area is looking at more than an inch of rain.

"The exact track of the storm, say right along the coast or a bit farther inland, will determine the rain and snow line and where the heaviest accumulations will be over the interior Northeast," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brian Wimer said.

You can see the timing of the storm in the simulated radar below:

Much of Thursday will be dry until the rain starts in the late evening, though there is a chance of afternoon rain. It will also be mild - about 45-50 degrees.

The rain isn't expected to freeze overnight, meaning we've finally got a storm we won't have to be looking at the aftereffects of for days.

Boston-area forecast

Thursday night - Rain, mainly after 11pm. The rain could be heavy at times. Patchy fog between 1am and 2am. Low around 37. East wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday - Rain, mainly before 8am, then a chance of showers after 2pm. Patchy fog between 7am and noon. High near 47. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday night - A chance of rain showers before 3am, then scattered snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday - Scattered snow showers, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph.

Sunday - Sunny, with a high near 55. West wind around 7 mph.

Sunday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Monday - A chance of rain after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. West wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. North wind 3 to 5 mph.

Tuesday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Light north wind.

Wednesday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Light north wind.