A rare May nor’easter slammed into New England on Thursday, May 22, drenching the region with heavy rain, whipping coastal areas with damaging winds and dropping temperatures to unseasonable lows just ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The storm began late Wednesday, May 21, and intensified Thursday morning, bringing widespread rainfall and flooding risks across Massachusetts and surrounding states.
The National Weather Service said the system looks more like a winter storm than something typically seen in late spring. It’s fueled by a powerful jet stream and a surge of Arctic air driven south by high pressure over Canada.
How much rain and wind is expected?
Most of Massachusetts is expected to get one to two inches of rain, with some spots picking up as much as three inches by Thursday night. The heaviest rainfall is forecast during the evening commute, raising the risk of urban flooding, especially in low-lying neighborhoods.
Wind gusts could reach 55 mph in parts of eastern Massachusetts, with 40 to 50 mph gusts common across the state. Forecasters warned that the combination of saturated ground and fully leafed-out trees raises the risk of downed limbs and power outages. A gale warning is in effect until 11 p.m., with coastal waves potentially topping 7 feet.
What are the coastal and flooding concerns?
A coastal flood advisory will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, May 22. Forecasters said high tides could push water levels up to 6 inches above normal, flooding shoreline roads and low-lying areas.
Officials aren’t expecting widespread or catastrophic damage but said the combined impact of rain, wind and high tides could cause travel disruptions and scattered outages.
Will the storm clear before the holiday weekend?
Rain should taper off by Friday morning, May 23, but scattered showers could linger into Saturday, May 24. Temperatures will stay in the 50s through Saturday before gradually warming. By Sunday, May 25, highs should climb into the 60s with only a slight chance of rain. Memorial Day, on May 26, is expected to bring sunshine and temperatures in the 70s.
Late-spring nor’easters are unusual but not unheard of. Meteorologists said storms like this typically hit New England once every four or five years in May. The setup — cold air clashing with a strong jet stream —resembles conditions that often produce snow earlier in the season.
