The extreme cold over the weekend could affect travel, for those heading outside.
The cold weather – wind chills are expected to be around -30 degrees – will prevent some planned construction work from taking place around Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said. But it warned people with flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday to plan for delays.
A blast of cold air hitting New England Friday and Saturday will bring cold temperatures as well as wind gusts of 40-50 mph, which could cause power outages. A cold emergency has been declared in Boston.
Today: Mostly cold under beautiful skies. High 35-40°, wind chill 25-30°. Late Thursday Night: A few snow showers, stronger storms in the north. Arctic winds begin. The minimum is 20° south, 0° north. Friday: Bitter cold turns dangerously cold later with wind gusts up to 45 mph. Fair sky. Temperatures fall into the youth in the south, below zero in the north. Subzero wind chill at dawn, around -30° overnight Friday night.
Because of the weather, flights may be delayed at Logan International and Worcester Regional airports over the weekend, officials said. They noted that some flights across the country were affected by the bad weather and said passengers should check their flight status before going to the airport.
The extreme conditions prompted officials to cancel the closure of the Sumner Tunnel this week, as workers were unable to do their usual work. And Saturday’s Orange Line closure between Ruggles and North stations has also been canceled, the Department of Transportation said.
Temperatures are expected to return to the 40s on Sunday, and Orange Line closures from Back Bay to North Station are scheduled to continue.
While temperatures remain extremely low, the MBTA will keep buses and trains indoors or in train tunnels and check systems to keep them from freezing. Workers will continue to run commuter trains and check the tracks for safety, officials said.
Anyone looking for real-time road conditions can call 511 or visit mass511.com
