Droughts Start This Way

11:12PM

For many months I have felt we would be heading into some sort of drought in 2013. I still feel this way. And I believe it is getting underway, or getting re-intensified, since we were already flirting with drought conditions previously. The pattern over the next week or more will lend more and more credibility to the drought forecast, as high pressure continues to dominate the Northeast and keep rain away. Temperature changes will be brought about mainly by positioning of surface features and direction of wind. For example, a true back door cold front will probably make  Friday the coolest day of this week. We also have to watch for some additional cloudiness at times, though most of the clouds from the system to the west will have eroded away due to the building ridge by Tuesday. A deck of low clouds may slide in off the ocean Tuesday night or early Wednesday but with little support and building high pressure, it would not linger. It remains to be seen if additional cloudiness would come in from the ocean on Friday. Anyway, it looks like this pattern will be going nowhere fast. Look for a continuation of high pollen counts and high fire danger.

Forecast for southeastern New England…

OVERNIGHT: Mid level clouds mainly inland, a few high clouds over southeastern MA and RI, mainly clear elsewhere. Lows in the 40s. Wind S under 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 60 coast to 70 inland, cooling into the 50s coast in the afternoon. Wind S shifting more to the SE around 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear start but a deck of low clouds may move in from the east overnight.  Lows in the 40s but around 50 urban areas and immediate coast. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Any low clouds burning off by late morning with a 100% sunny afternoon. Highs upper 50s coast to upper 60s inland by midday, cooling in the afternoon. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY: Sunny. Low 45. High 63 coast to 73 inland.

FRIDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 45. High 53 coast to 63 inland.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 44. High 59 coast to 68 inland.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 48. High 62 coast to 72 inland.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 49. High 64 coast to 76 inland.

The Week Ahead

8:15AM ORIGINAL

6:50PM EDIT FOR TIME PERIODS AND SKY CONDITION FOR TONIGHT

High pressure will remain in control through next weekend. There is no rain in sight. Fire danger will increase and pollen counts will be high, but the weather will be fantastic. Somewhat more cloudiness may be in the sky Monday and Tuesday as a storm system to the west runs into the high pressure area parked over the Northeast and falls apart. Coastal areas will be cooler during many of the days because of onshore winds of the cool ocean waters.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England…

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows from the middle to upper 30s deepest valleys to middle 40s coast. Wind light variable.

MONDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs in the 60s but cooling back to the 50s along the coast. Wind S to SE 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows in the 40s. Wind light variable.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs in the 60s but again cooling back to the 50s at the coast. Wind SE to E 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 45. High 66, cooler coast.

THURSDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 46. High 67, cooler coast.

FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 47. High 68, cooler coast.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 48. High 67.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny. Low 48. High 66.

High-Ho!

5:34PM

After a disturbance departs this evening, high pressure will set up shop and remain in control for at least a week, resulting in a period of very quiet Spring weather in southern New England. This pattern will feature mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions during the day but there may be a little more cloudiness at some point around early next week, mild air and mostly light winds but coastal sea breezes that will often cool down the shore and up to a few to several miles inland. With drying top soil and still not completely full leaf out of many trees and bushes, fire danger will be on the increase. Use caution if outside with anything that can spark a brush fire.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England…

THIS EVENING: Variably cloudy with isolated showers. Temperatures around 50. Wind E to SE 5-15 MPH.

OVERNIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows in the 30s to around 40. Wind E 5-10 MPH.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Highs 62-67, cooler coast. Wind variable 5-15 MPH but mostly N to NE.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows upper 30s to middle 40s. Wind light variable.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 63-68, cooler coast. Wind variable 5-15 MPH with sea breezes.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: Partly to mostly sunny days, mostly clear to partly cloudy nights. Lows upper 30s to middle 40s, highs around 60 coast to as high as 70 inland but cooling back into the 50s especially coast on some afternoons with sea breezes.

Bet On Better Yet

1:43AM

As bad as the weather can be in April, it can also be quite good, and we’ll see more of the good side of April during the coming several days. But it will not be without a few bumps in the road, especially early in the journey.

A cold front passing by first thing this morning will bring a rain squall line along with it, which will present itself as a gusty moderate to heavy shower, brief in length. This will clear the coast including Cape Cod by 8AM, so if you are reading this after that time, you’re reading history, not current events. 🙂

For the remainder of today we’ll see an improving trend as clouds depart and sun takes over. It will not be as warm as Wednesday was, but it will still be quite nice – 60s most areas.

A weak upper level low pressure area moving across the region will bring cooler air tonight through early Saturday, but with mostly fair weather. There will be just enough instability to allow for the risk of a few pop up showers with the solar heating on Friday, and some diurnal fair weather clouds on Saturday. But the balance of the weekend will feature fair weather, with Sunday being the warmer day in most areas.

High pressure is expected to control the region’s weather early next week with dry conditions and above normal temperatures, though coastal locations will see cooler air at times due to sea breezes.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England (southern NH, eastern MA, and RI)…

EARLY MORNING (THROUGH 8AM): Mostly cloudy with a few showers around, and a line of briefly moderate to heavy showers pushing west to east mainly 4AM to 8AM. Temperatures holding 50-55. Wind S to SW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to W with a gust around or over 30 MPH during the passage of the line of showers.

MID TO LATE MORNING (8AM-NOON): Clouds linger eastern coastal areas and Cape Cod, sun appears to the west. Temperatures climb toward 60. Wind W 5-15 MPH with higher gusts.

THIS AFTERNOON: Mostly sunny except some lingering clouds early to mid afternoon Cape Cod. Highs near 60 Cape Cod, middle 60s elsewhere. Wind W 5-15 MPH and gusty.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows middle 30s interior valleys to lower 40s urban areas/coast. Wind W under 10 MPH.

FRIDAY: Sunshine dominant at the start and end of the day, with pop up clouds in the middle, possibly yielding brief showers. Highs 60-65. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 37. High 61.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 42. High 66.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 44. High 66.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 46. High 68.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 47. High 70.

Quick Change Day

2:23AM

After a chilly and damp Tuesday with temperatures barely over 40 in much of southern New England, drizzle and light fog, and some heavier rain over Cape Cod, the weather will pull a quick change today, starting much the way Tuesday ended, but turning much nicer! Low pressure will move away, taking its damp chill with it. Eventually the sky will clear and air will warm (though parts of the coast may struggle to warm up too much) as drier air moves in.

A cold front will cross the region from west to east overnight and early Thursday with a chance of showers. High pressure builds in Thursday, centered first to the south then eventually expanding into the weekend, but it will be fighting a little bit of an upper level low pressure trough around Friday/Saturday which may mean some diurnal cloudiness and even a slight shower threat (mainly Friday). Overall, however, the pattern will be much nicer for the second half of this week.

Forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Starting overcast/drizzle/fog/lingering rain Cape Cod, then improving west to east with clearing later morning on. Starting out in the 40s but warming rapidly to mid or late afternoon highs of near 60 immediate coast to near 70 in some inland locations. Wind NE to N 10-15 MPH eventually shifting more to the W.

TONIGHT: Clouds return west to east with areas of showers and possibly a thunderstorm in the overnight hours. Lows around 50. Wind S 10-20 MPH.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy start with lingering showers ending west to east, then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the 60s. Wind W 10-15 MPH.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Isolated showers. Low 48. High 64.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 42. High 59.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 46. High 63.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 48. High 66.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 50. High 70.

The Week Ahead

7:11PM

A freezing start to a fantastic finish? That may be how the next 7 days play out, with some changes as we go from beginning to end. These changes will be brought about by these features:

– Frost/freeze early Monday with high pressure, centered to the north, extending down across the region. Frost and freeze advisories are posted for the South Coast of MA and RI for overnight and early Monday.

– Low pressure drifting northward and passing just east of southern New England late Tuesday with raw & cloudy weather and perhaps a little light precipitation (which may even include snowflakes if we should get a period of precipitation with any intensity).

– A cold front approaching Wednesday pushing milder air in ahead of it.

– The cold front having trouble clearing the coast and a possible low pressure wave which may cause some unsettled weather as it starts to cool down again.

– High pressure moving in but upper level low pressure nearby so a little unstable Friday, meaning at least some clouds and not even ruling out isolated showers.

– A weekend that should see mostly fair weather as weak high pressure builds in but should be just strong enough to hold low pressure off. This is subject to change as there have been some indications that low pressure would arrive sooner and Sunday would end up not-so-nice.

But wait there’s more!!!

Tonight! Under a clear sky look for Lyrid meteors, up to 10 per hour away from city lights, especially from midnight to about an hour before sunrise. Bundle up if you go out there. It’s gonna be quite chilly for April!

Updated forecast for southeastern New England (southern NH, eastern MA, and RI)…

TONIGHT: Clear. Lows from upper 20s inland valleys to middle 30s cities and coast. Wind light variable.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 50-55. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Increasing cloudiness. Low 32-37. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Spotty light rain possibly mixed with snow at times. Highs 42-47. Wind NE 10-20 MPH and gusty.

WEDNESDAY: Cloudy start and finish, some sun between. Low 41. High 64.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of light rain or showers at times. Low 45. High 54.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Isolated rain showers. Low 45. High 63.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 45. High 62.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny. Low 48. High 66.

Quiet Spring Stretch

3:41AM

Not a whole lot of action in the days ahead. No big storms, no big warm-ups, no real late-season cold, just a bit of a chill at times. High pressure centered to the north hangs on into Monday then low pressure rides up parallel to the East Coast later Monday and Tuesday, keeping most of its influence offshore. A cold front swings through from the west late Wednesday and Thursday and high pressure builds in behind that late in the week. The corresponding changes will be reflected in the forecast that follows this paragraph.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Sunny. Highs in the 50s. Wind NE 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT: Clear. Lows 25-30 inland, 30-35 coast. Wind NE under 10 MPH.

MONDAY: Increasing clouds. Highs around 50. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Chance of light snow or rain early. Low 32. High 47.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Low 40. High 60.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Low 45. High 62.

FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 44. High 66.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 44. High 61.

One Front, Two Front, Red Front, Blue Front

11:49PM

Text book style weather changes on the way the next few days. They go this way…

Warm front approaches Thursday so sun will eventually have to yield to some cloudiness.

Warm front passes Thursday night and introduces an early-season tropical air mass on southerly winds.

The southerly flow gets stronger during Friday which will be a mostly cloudy day with a slight chance of passing showers and very mild and rather humid air.

Cold front approaches Friday night with a ribbon of heavier showers and possible thunderstorms approaching from the west but holding off until after midnight for much of the region. It will also be breezy and quite mild all night.

Cold front slowly passes through Saturday morning with rain ribbon slowly moving out from west to east while sliding northeastward. Clearing line approaches from the west and the natural progression of sun-in-sky to westward while clearing line moves eastward means that a day that starts grey and wet will end bright and drier, but also cooler.

High pressure builds in Saturday night & Sunday with dry, cool weather.

Early to middle part of next week will see a slide back toward unsettled weather as an upper trough approaches from the west.

Detailed forecast for southeastern New England…

OVERNIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows in the 30s except lower 40s urban centers and coastline. Wind calm in valleys, light variable elsewhere.

THURSDAY: Sun dominates to start, then becoming limited at times toward the end of the day. Highs 50-55 shoreline, 56-61 elsewhere. Wind E to SE 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Temperatures hold in the 50s. Wind S 10-15 MPH.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Isolated passing sprinkles and light showers. Highs 65-70 except upper 50s to lower 60s South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH gusting up to 30 MPH.

SATURDAY: Rain exits west to east followed by clearing. Low 50. High 60.

SUNDAY: Sunny. Low 35. High 55.

MONDAY: Increasing clouds. Low 37. High 53.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. PM rain. Low 40. High 53.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Rain or showers. Low 44. High 54.

Wednesday AM Update

7:41AM

Fast update to forecast. No big changes. Full update this afternoon/evening!

TODAY: Mostly sunny. Highs in the 60s, upper 50s parts of Cape Cod & Islands. Wind NW 5-15 mph.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 30s inland valleys, 40-45 city and coast. Wind light N.

THURSDAY: Sun becoming filtered, dimmed later. Highs around 60 falling back to 50s especially coast. Wind light variable becoming SE up to 10 MPH.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Showers at night. Low 50. High 68.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Showers in the morning. Low 45. High 60.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 38. High 59.

MONDAY: Increasing clouds. Low 37. High 54.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Low 40. High 53.

Warmer Punches

7:21AM

Warmer air moves in today ahead of a cold front, which will bring showers tonight and slightly cooler air Wednesday. A warm front pushes back across the region Thursday with clouds but re-introduces warm air for Friday, before another cold front sluggishly crosses the region late Friday into Saturday with more unsettled weather, before cool and fair weather takes over to end the weekend.

Forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Partly sunny. Highs in the 60s except middle to upper 50s along the South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Showers likely. Chance of thunderstorms. Lows 45-50. Wind SW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to W.

WEDNESDAY: Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 60-65. Wind W to NW 10-20 MPH.

THURSDAY:Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 48. High 62.

FRIDAY: Variably cloudy. PM & night showers/t-storms. Low 51. High 71.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Low 50. High 60.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 40. High 60.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 38.  High 58.

The Week Ahead

10:52PM

Here’s a break-down of what I expect in southern New England during the coming 7 days.  Confidence decreases with time, as is typical, but more-so than usual this time because of what I mentioned in previous posts: chilly ocean, and fronts in the vicinity.

Monday (Patriots Day / Boston Marathon): Weak high pressure crests overhead with light winds leading to a sea breeze. For the Marathon, gathering runners early in the morning will be greeted by a rising sun filtered by some high clouds and chilly air with a temperature in the upper 30s. By race time, it should be rising rapidly through the 40s and hitting about 50, and as brighter sun comes out during the race it will warm into the 50s. But as runners approach the end of the course they will run into an ocean breeze and cooler air (lower 50s) but still with sun expected to be dominant. Inland areas will be less impacted by the sea breeze, and no impact at all is expected well inland.

Tuesday: Southerly wind ahead of a cold front = milder air except along the South Coast where wind is from over the water. Showers will likely push into the region from west to east during the evening with the approach of the cold front.

Wednesday: A little uncertain. Not sure how far south and east of the area the front moves. Should be cooler than Tuesday, but not too much so. Cloudiness is a wild-card. It may hang around especially in southern and eastern areas with the front not far away.

Thursday: Front pushes back to the north as a warm front. This means lots of clouds. Early feeling is that most rain associated with this front will stay west and north of the southeastern New England forecast area but will keep an eye on this.

Friday: Potential to be a very warm day with the taste of summer ahead of another cold front to the west of the region. Wild card again will be cloudiness. If the wind is southerly enough, plentiful moisture from the waters south of New England would result in more cloudiness and a lower temperature. A more southwesterly wind would likely allow for more sun and warmth before clouds, showers, and possible thunderstorms moved in from the west late day or at night.

Weekend: Front may be slow to clear the region Saturday, so going with unsettled weather. Optimistic for Sunday at this point, but far away and subject to change.

Forecast for southeastern New England…

OVERNIGHT: Mostly clear – some high clouds moving in toward dawn. Lows in the 30s except lower 40s urban centers and immediate coast. Wind NW under 10 MPH.

MONDAY – PATRIOTS DAY: Filtered sun with high clouds mainly through midday then brighter sun in the afternoon. Highs 55-60, cooling back a little during the afternoon. Wind NW to N up to 10 MPH early shifting to E and SE during the afternoon.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear evening. Partly cloudy overnight. Lows in the 40s. Wind SE to S up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny most of the day then turning mostly cloudy from the west late. Showers at night. Highs 60-65 but holding in the 50s South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny north. Mostly cloudy south. Low 46. High 60.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy northwest. Partly sunny southeast. Low 47. High 61.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Late-day showers/t-storms. Low 51. High 71.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Low 49. High 58.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 34. High 61.

Sunday Morning Update

3:02AM

A weak disturbance caused a few rain showers during the overnight hours though not everybody saw them. This disturbance will be moving away today but enough instability lingers for some variable amounts of cloudiness during the day. Weak high pressure moves in for Monday, which will be a decent Spring day, though not too warm, especially near the coast where winds will be onshore.

The Tuesday through late week period is still somewhat uncertain as a couple fronts will be nearby with cool air approaching from the west, not too far to the north, and of course over the ocean, battling a southerly flow trying to get established. The same low confidence general forecast remains in place for now and I will try to refine it a bit more for The Week Ahead post which appears later this evening.

Have a great Sunday!

Forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Variably cloudy. Highs in the 54-59. Wind W to NW 10-20 MPH.

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 35-40. Wind NW 10-20 MPH early, diminishing late.

MONDAY – PATRIOTS DAY: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Highs 55-60 coast, 60-65 inland but cooling all areas, especially coast, in the afternoon. Wind SE 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. PM showers. Low 41. High 66.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Low 44. High 62.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain. Low 42. High 62.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Late-day showers/t-storms. Low 55. High 75.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Low 44. High 58.

See-Saw Spring

4:26PM

More changes. Sounds like a broken record. But it’s normal for this time of year, moreso than any. As our Friday cold storm (rain & some mixed-in sleet especially north of Boston) goes on, I write about what is coming up during the next several days. This system will be winding down this evening as the heaviest moisture moves rapidly northeastward, out of southern New England. Lingering low level moisture with an onshore wind and mid level moisture on the back edge of the storm system will still hold the threat of wet weather in here into the evening.

The Weekend: Drier air works in at the surface but upper level low pressure elongated west to east and stretching just north of the region will send a couple disturbances across southern New England (Saturday night and again late Sunday). After early clouds break on Saturday, more arrive at night along with a chance of a few showers of rain/mix. More sun is expected Sunday but clouds may again fill-in later in the day with the next disturbance.

Monday (Boston Marathon & Patriots Day): High pressure overhead means light wind and milder air but the coast likely turns much cooler with a sea breeze developing. Early call for Boston Marathon weather is for dry conditions, lots of sun, but starting out chilly in the morning, in the 30s with light wind. During the race the temperatures should rise into the 50s with light variable winds, but approaching Boston there should be a sea breeze from the east or southeast with temperatures cooling back toward 50.

Tuesday-Friday: It wants to be warm, but it’s not that easy in the Spring in New England, especially near the coast. So while the upper air pattern supports warm temperatures, we need to keep a close eye on the ocean for sea breezes and back door cold fronts. Eventually a front will move in from the west, and there are some computer model differences on how this will take place, and when. The front may get close, then get shoved back to the west, before making another approach late week. With all this uncertainty, a low to medium confidence forecast will follow this discussion in regards to the extended period. Expect changes and updates to it in the days ahead. Please do not put too much stock in the temperatures for the Tuesday-Friday period next week. They are a 1-digit generalization based on a lower than average confidence forecast.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England (southern NH, eastern MA, and RI)…

THROUGH EVENING: Cloudy with lingering periods of rain and some drizzle possible. Sleet may still be mixed in with any briefly moderate rain areas mostly north of  Boston. Temperatures holding steady 35-40 most areas except 40-45 South Coast &  Cape Cod. Wind E shifting to N, 5-15 MPH inland, 10-20 MPH coastal areas, some higher gusts.

OVERNIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-38 but may hold around 40 near the South Coast. Wind N to NW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny morning, sunny to partly cloudy afternoon. Highs 53-58. Wind NW 10-15 MPH with higher gusts.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Chance of a few showers of rain or mixed rain/sleet. Lows 33-38. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny through early afternoon then more clouds developing late day. Highs 56-61. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY – PATRIOTS DAY: Mostly sunny. Low 33. High 57.

TUESDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 44. High 66.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Low 48. High 64.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Low 55. High 68.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. PM showers/t-storms. Low 58. High 78.

Friday AM Update

7:19AM

Quick update for now… No big changes. Full update later.

TODAY TONIGHT: Overcast. Periods of rain, except some sleet and snow at times southern NH and the MA border inland. Temperatures cooling into the 30s mainly north of  Route 2 and away from the shore, 40s elsewhere. Wind E to NE increasing to 10-20 MPH inland, 15-25 MPH coast, with higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Variably cloudy. Isolated rain/mix showers. Highs around 50. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 33. High 56.

MONDAY – PATRIOTS DAY: Partly cloudy. Low 40. High 59.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Low 50. High 68.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Low 44. High 54.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Low 45. High 60.

Thursday AM Update

7:33AM

Full discussion and new forecast again this afternoon, including Boston Marathon weather.

This is just a quick update with a few highlights.

Unsettled into Saturday but the only really wet day will be Friday, but enough cold air for some sleet/snow to work into parts of southern NH and maybe even far northern MA. Accumulation looks like it will be limited to the Concord NH area and possibly some higher elevations of north central MA where up to 1 or 2 inches of snow/sleet may build up between early Friday morning and late Friday night.

Improving weather later in the weekend, though Saturday will not be a terrible day. It just may feature some cloudiness & a few spot showers with lingering instability.

Early next week looks fair and warmer, but we may be playing a game again with a boundary of much cooler air to the north and of course the threat of ocean breezes too. More on this later.

Updated forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Overcast. Patchy drizzle or sprinkles of light rain possible. Temperatures holding in the 40s. Wind NE 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Periods of rain, except some sleet and snow at times southern NH and the MA border inland. Temperatures cooling into the 30s mainly north of  Route 2 and away from the shore, 40s elsewhere. Wind E to NE increasing to 10-20 MPH inland, 15-25 MPH coast, with higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Variably cloudy. Isolated rain/mix showers. Highs around 50. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Low 33. High 56.

MONDAY – PATRIOTS DAY: Partly cloudy. Low 40. High 63.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Low 50. High 68.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Low 44. High 54.