Plan B Forum

April Fools' Day snowstorm forecast for New England, N.Y. state

Saturday is April Fools' Day, but for folks in New York state and northern New England, the snowy forecast is no joke.

Up to 10 inches of snow is likely to fall in a swath from northeast New York into much of Vermont and New Hampshire and southwest Maine from late Friday into Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

Winter storm watches and warnings have been hoisted in those areas.

The storm will create a messy travel situation from Albany, eastward into Massachusetts and then northward into northern New England, AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

Snow is rare but not unprecedented in the Northeast this time of year. Twenty years ago, heavy snow buried portions of central and southern New England into the Catskills of New York and the Poconos of Pennsylvania from March 31 to April 1, Weather.com said. Boston was buried under 25.4 inches of snow during that storm.

This time most of southern New England should see little to no accumulating snow because temperatures are expected to remain above freezing, Weather.com said. Boston should see about 1-2 inches of snow, the weather service said.

Fortunately, the storm will be long gone in time for the Boston Red Sox home opener at Fenway Park on Monday, when clear skies and temperatures in the 40s are expected.