Nearly four inches of snow fell across Massachusetts on Friday before temperatures rose and washed rain across the area.
Between one and four inches blanketed the region one day before the winter solstice, making slick roads and snarling traffic. Surrounding cities and towns experienced lower snowfall totals, as Quincy, Natick, and Worcester saw almost two inches. Boston, on the other hand, had nearly six inches of snowfall on Friday.
Drivers traverse poor road conditions on Route 9 in Natick, Mass. (Nick Peace/Beacon Staff)Traffic piles up in Wellesley, Massachusetts as snowy conditions make roadways more hazardous for drivers. (Nick Peace/ Beacon Staff)Workers clear snow outside the Natick Mall. (Nick Peace/ Beacon Staff)Slushy road conditions in Quincy on Friday. (Adri Pray/Beacon Staff)Wellesley College’s campus hours after the first snowfall in the town on Dec. 20, 2024. (Sam Shipman / Beacon Staff)Downtown Natick’s shops and last minute holiday shopping continued through the snowy conditions on Dec. 20, 2024. (Sam Shipman/ Beacon Staff)The lights of Natick Center late into the evening freshly coated in several inches of snow on Dec. 20, 2024. (Sam Shipman/ Beacon Staff)Snow falling at Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox, located in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox, located in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at City Hall in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at City Hall in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at the City Hall Common in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at Bancroft Tower in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at Bancroft Tower in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)Snow falling at Bancroft Tower in Worcester, Mass. (DJ Mara/Beacon Staff)
A winter weather advisory is in effect through Saturday morning as meteorologists predicted the region to see several inches of snow over the weekend. Temperatures on Friday dropped to the low 20s coupled with a wind chill in the single digits and doubles to take the area into the weekend. Saturday brought similar conditions, with a high of 28 and temperatures dropping as low as 17 degrees overnight.
DJ Mara (he/him) is a sophomore political communication major from Worcester, MA, who currently serves as the deputy metro news editor for The Berkeley Beacon. In previous semesters, DJ served as a staff writer, assistant news editor, and Kasteel Well bureau chief. When DJ is not writing for The Beacon, he can be found working on political campaigns or exploring his love for photography by taking photos of cityscapes and nature around him.
Adri Pray (she/her) is a senior journalism student from Cape Cod, MA. She was previously a managing editor, news editor, and assistant news editor at the Beacon, and took a brief hiatus from the paper in 2023 to complete two reporting co-ops at The Boston Globe. Outside of the Beacon, her work has appeared in the Globe, Cambridge Day, Food Bank News, and Milk Crate, an online music publication. She has two minors in political science and environmental studies.
Sam Shipman (He/Him) is a second-year journalism student from Natick, Massachusetts. Outside of the Beacon, he can be found working with The Society of Professional Journalists as the Co-Vice-President, staff writing for WECB Milk Crate, working at WERS 88.9 FM as a member of the "You Are Here" Staff. When not working in the field, he can be found listening to music, trying new food, doing freelance videography, and spending time with friends.
Nick Peace is a staff photographer from Natick, MA. He is a sophomore media and film student at Suffolk University with a minor in journalism. He has contributed to the Beacon since his first semester. Nick can be found working video gigs, stage managing middle school theater, listening to music, or watching sports. You can find most of his photo work on his website at https://nickpeacephoto.weebly.com
