Here's how much RI can expect from 'prolonged' snowfall Sunday, Monday

Jack Perry, Providence Journal

Fri, January 23, 2026 at 12:21 PM UTC

3 min read

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Rhode Island and other parts of Southern New England could see up to 18 inches of snow from a storm starting Sunday and continuing into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter storm watch and a cold weather advisory have been issued, as dangerously cold weather will move into Southern New England ahead of the storm on Friday afternoon, Jan. 23.

"At the moment the most likely snowfall totals are in the 8-14 inch range," the weather service said in its forecast discussion early Friday morning.

The range could be higher, 12 to 18 inches, for most of Southern New England, the weather service indicated in a graphic posted to social media also early on Friday morning. The weather service predicted those snowfall totals early as part of its "initial most likely snow accumulation forecast."

Setting records: How often does RI get a foot of snow? How this weekend's storm stacks up

In a social media post, the agency characterized its confidence in the snowfall total forecast as "medium" and said, "Keep in mind, this will be refined/changed as things come into better focus over the next 24-48 hours, so check back!"

The 12- to 18-inch snowfall forecast indicated on the graphic is consistent throughout Southern New England, except for Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, which could get lower totals, 12 to 18 inches, due to the potential for mixed precipitation, the weather service said.

This image produced by the National Weather Service shows the agency's "initial most likely snow accumulation forecast." The weather service says the forecast "will be refined/changed as things come into better focus over the next 24-48 hours."

When will the snow start?

The snow is most likely to start Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon with the heaviest snowfall Sunday evening into early Monday morning, the weather service said. Light to moderate snow will linger during the day Monday, the weather service said.

"Travel will be difficult, especially Sunday night into Monday morning when accumulation rates will be highest," the weather service said.

The storm will affect millions of Americans as it moves across the central part of the country through the Southeast then into New England, according to forecasters.

"The system moving out of the plains will direct a plume of deep moisture and warm air into/over top of a dome of subfreezing air associated with a sprawling high pressure over the northeast which will lead to a prolonged period of snowfall, some of it heavy," the weather service says in its forecast discussion.

Computer models are showing some "varying degree of spread" in the track of the storm, "which is one factor that would lead us to be cautious in declaring exact snowfall amounts as the track is a factor," the weather service said.

In trying to determine the impact of winter storms, forecasters consider how close it will pass to a benchmark about 80 miles southeast of Nantucket, at 40 degrees north latitude and 70 degrees west longitude.

"Another related factor" is a layer of warmer air that could "lead to a period of mixed precipitation on the south coast overnight, potentially up into the south shore of eastern MA and northern RI," the weather service said.

"Whatever snow does fall isn't going anywhere fast as a cold airmass remains entrenched over the northeast next week (highs in the teens and 20s)," the forecast discussion said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI weather forecast: Snow storm Sunday and Monday could dump 18 inches

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