Heavy rain returns at times later in the day

Much of last night’s storm has retreated from New England this morning, leaving behind low and dense clouds with fog and drizzle.

Some rain spots could be cold enough to result in icy patches as temperatures hover around freezing as you leave this morning, particularly in parts of northern Massachusetts west of I-495, as well as southern Vermont and New Hampshire.

Greater Boston should be in good shape against the slippery patches in the morning as the city stays above freezing most of the night. Regardless, it’s a good idea to give yourself extra time for your morning commute and bring an umbrella in case you get caught in the drizzle.

Any slippery spots will melt away by mid-morning and it will be another relatively mild day, with the city reaching temperatures in the mid to upper 40s this afternoon. But these clouds aren’t going anywhere.

Aside from the drizzle, it will be a mostly mundane day. But there is a strong system lurking that will slowly move into the area through the night and will bring scattered light showers across southern New England between 9 p.m. and midnight.

As you travel, these rain patches should be light, but they will quickly increase Wednesday morning, creating a winter washout with increased warmth and humidity, resulting in lots of rain.

Thanks to a steep bend in the jet stream, a strong low pressure system will form along a strengthening cold front. The atmosphere is turbulent and a large cloud of moisture will rush into the region from the south to fuel a large shower of rain in the form of a storm.

Together with the moisture penetrating from the south, there will be a jump in heat. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-60s in the Boston area Wednesday afternoon, making it a rain-only event that will spread to most of the region. Even northern parts of New England will be in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Some record highs are likely to be reached across southern New England on Wednesday.

The storm is pushing into the area from the southwest and taking an inward direction, meaning the core of the system should remain just west of New England as it ascends northeast. This will keep the cold side of the storm primarily in eastern New York and will make rain the primary form of precipitation across the six New England states.

Widespread precipitation amounts fluctuate between uniform and at times heavy throughout the day. Given the warm air, rapid snowmelt may cause localized flash flooding in places, particularly in parts of inland New England in Vermont, New Hampshire and the Berkshires. The good news is that due to the ongoing drought, most river levels are low and should be able to cope with the excess rain and runoff, meaning major flooding should be off the table. However, some streams and smaller streams may be temporarily overloaded.

Rainfall totals on Wednesday could be between 1 and 2 inches, with some areas between the major cities listed below seeing rainfall totals approaching 3 inches.

Strong winds will also play a role in this storm throughout the day, with some gusts varying between 30 and 50 mph. Therefore, make sure you clean up any unsecured items in your yard. There were even power outages and falling tree branches in some areas.

Southern New England: Cloudy with low clouds and patches of fog. A few spots of drizzle, temperatures rising to the mid to upper 40s. Scattered showers will occur after 9 p.m

Central/West Fair: There were a few slippery patches in the morning, today’s highs reached the mid 40s under cloudy skies. Partly foggy in the morning, with drizzle. Scattered showers will occur later this evening.

Cape and Islands: Clouds and fog, some areas clearing. On the peninsula and the islands, temperatures settle at around 50 degrees with calm winds. Scattered showers possible tonight.

Northern New England: Vermont and New Hampshire will see a few more showers in the morning, while Maine will see steady, light snowfall. Patches of fog throughout the morning. High temperatures range from the low 30s to around 40 degrees. Scattered showers will occur around midnight.

Ken Mahan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.