The snow forecast may be somewhat up in the air, but one thing is for sure: Any snow that falls will not be melting next week.

It's been a cold January, even by January standards. Waves of arctic air have inundated the Carolinas, keeping high temperatures nearly 10° below average this month. The cold air will briefly ease up the next couple of days.

A blanket of snow covered New York City Monday morning after a weekend storm. Snowflakes started falling Sunday afternoon and ended overnight, with some areas of New York state getting over 8 inches of snow.

Rain showers are expected to begin in the early afternoon, moving from west to east across the state. Most of Massachusetts, including Boston, Worcester and Western Massachusetts, can expect to see rain the rest of the day as temperatures are forecast to reach the low 40s. The Berkshires could experience a mix of rain and light snow.

A winter storm will affect New York and the surrounding area starting Sunday. From 1 p.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday, the tri-state area is expected to be hit with snow, according to the National Weather Service.