Christmas morning snow has largely washed away, but more snow around the corner, forecasters say

By Melissa M. Werthmann, Globe Correspondent

Bay Staters opened their eyes Christmas morning to flakes of snow gently drifting to the ground, but much of the white stuff has since washed away.

Some grassy areas and cars may still be white, but all of the snow has transitioned to rain, said Charlie Foley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service station in Taunton.

Much of the state saw an inch or less of snow, he said.

“There were some pockets of freezing drizzle, but that’s pretty much gone by,” Foley said.

The rain will move out of the area within the next couple of hours. Temperatures will be in the mid-30s today, dipping to the mid-20s tonight, according to the weather service.

Because of the rain, it is difficult to determine whether this morning was in fact a white Christmas, something the weather service defines as an inch of snow or more on the ground, Foley said.

Wednesday will bring sunny skies and temperatures right around normal, in the low to mid-30s, Foley said.

But another round of snow is expected to arrive Wednesday night.

The storm will be stronger than today’s system and will move west to east, he said. Boston should start to see snow by 8 p.m.

The precipitation will transition to rain during the overnight hours.

A winter storm watch in effect for Wednesday night into Thursday morning for areas west of Interstate 495, Foley said.

Interior New England, especially Southern New Hampshire, will see a mix of snow, rain, and sleet.

The Monadnock region in New Hampshire, including Jaffrey and Keene, could see six to eight inches of snow, he said.

“That will be the jackpot area,” Foley said. “The Thursday morning commute could see some snow and icy patches.”

Communities near Route 128 might see two to four inches of snow Wednesday night, but that will quickly wash away once the rain moves in, he said.

Areas near the 128 corridor can expect an inch to an inch and a half of rain, he said.

There will be some minor coastal flooding and splashover in areas prone to urban flooding, including Morrissey Boulevard in Boston, Foley said.

Strong winds will whip across the area, gusting at 35 to 40 miles per hour in the Boston area. Winds across the Cape and Islands could gust near 60 miles per hour, he said.

“With the winds and the rain, it’s not going to be an ideal Thursday,” Foley said.

Friday and Saturday will bring plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the mid-30s.

But another system moving into Massachusetts Saturday night could bring more wet weather, Foley said.

A majority of the computer models are forecasting that the storm will only brush the Bay State and remain to the east, out over the water, he said.