Arctic Freeze Bringing Bitter Cold, Wind Chills To 20 Below Zero

Massachusetts is bracing for the coldest air of the season beginning Thursday night, which will see temperatures plummet into the single digits and wind chills dip well below zero degrees.

A blast of arctic air coupled with strong northwest wind gusts will make it bitterly cold around the state, with wind chills ranging from negative-20 degrees in the Berkshires to negative-10 in Boston and a balmy -3 on parts of the Cape and Islands. Forecasters say it could be the coldest day in Boston in two years.

The arctic air is expected to settle in around 5 p.m. Thursday, with sub-zero wind chills coming around midnight and single-digit temperatures by 5 a.m. Friday, according to NBC meteorologist Aaron Perry.

"In most locations, high temperatures will struggle to reach above 20 degrees on Thursday and Friday before moderating close to 32 degrees by Sunday," Perry told Patch.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory until noon Friday for most of Massachusetts. Weather officials say such low temperatures and wind chills can contribute to frostbite and hypothermia, both of which you can read more about here.

The cold spell follows several inches of snow that fell across the state this week. Another storm, potentially a nor'easter, could come early next week.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.