Random weather thoughts on a January morning

* Snow showers and squalls will be moving through New England, west to east, today  - around here, expect most of the action this afternoon and evening. Some areas will get more snow than others - akin to the way a regional summer thundershower can drench some areas and not others. We are forecast to get approximately an inch locally (with some variation, of course). Highs will be in the 20s (it's actually a balmy 23 degrees right now!) and snow may melt on roads and then refreeze as temperatures fall, creating slippery conditions for some communities Saturday evening. Mostly, we should be just fine.

* It's been strange weather across the country. Intractable drought in California, with residents being asked to ration water consumption. And yesterday morning, Louisiana picked up over 3 inches of snow as an ice/snow storm hit coastal areas in the Gulf.

Throwing Caution to the Wind (artist unknown)

* Throwing caution to the wind (because it's really too early to know anything with certainty), I feel compelled to point out that some major wintry event seems to be headed our way for next weekend (February 1-3). What exactly we will get is constantly changing (yesterday it was freezing rain and sleet, today it's snow and wintry mix), but clearly something wintry this way comes.

* Anyone who's out on the ocean today - off the New England coast - should prepare for freezing spray, along with gale force winds. In other words, don't take the boat out!

* Again, it's worth repeating that the temperature is 23.3 F right now. Crazy! We haven't seen a temp that high in days (and it's feels like a lot longer). Time to play outside!