DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 28 – MAY 2)

The frontal boundary that I’ve talked about for several days now made its first announcement of arrival with a very nice sunrise on Tuesday morning, and continued to show itself with a fair amount of mid and high level cloudiness yesterday morning and early afternoon, which then thinning out for a very nice latter portion of the day. But overnight, those clouds came back, and this time they brought with them areas of showers, and even some thunder (especially across far southern MA, parts of eastern CT and RI. This was not a surprise as it was evident there would be enough instability for this potential, and it was realized. There are still a few showers in the region early this morning, and a few more may travel through the area during the course of the morning before we see less showers and just a dominant overcast. But as that frontal boundary sits over the region, another couple of low pressure disturbances will move along it as it wavers around. The next disturbance will come through tonight, with another round of showers and the potential for thunder, with that potential highest near the south of I-90. The most pronounced low pressure wave of the series will be the one that moves across the region Thursday night and Friday. Most short range guidance indicates that the center of this low may track just to the north of the WHW forecast area, perhaps across southern VT and central NH into Maine before departing. However even if this happens, the surface front may never really get pulled all the way north before the trailing cold front portion from that final low pressure wave comes through, resulting in an occlusion of the front. The best chance for getting into the warm sector will be closer to the South Coast. Regardless, this system will bring fairly widespread shower activity late Thursday into Friday, before a drier northwesterly air flow arrives. But there will be a price to pay for the trend to drier, and that will be pretty decent shot of cold air from Canada, along with wind. In fact, the air will be cold enough so that when a trough passes by sometime in the morning of May 1, the showers it creates may be in the form of snow in at least parts of the region. The rest of Saturday should be dry with only a minimal risk of a pop up rain shower, but with that gusty wind and sun/cloud mix ongoing. No break Sunday as we’ll likely find ourselves right back in cloudiness and eventually the potential for some wet weather as a warm front approaches.

TODAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered rain showers this morning and again late-day. Highs 55-62, coolest from the NH Seacoast to Cape Cod. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming E 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy rain showers likely. Chance of thunderstorms, especially I-90 southward. Lows 48-55. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Best chance of a rain shower early morning and late afternoon. Highs 55-60 eastern coastal areas, 60-65 most interior areas, 65-70 possible interior locations south of I-90. Wind E to variable up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely and a slight chance of a thunderstorm. Lows 50-57. Wind variable 5-15 MPH.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely. Chance of a thunderstorm early. Highs 58-65. Wind variable 5-15 MPH becoming NW 10-20 MPH by later in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. A passing rain or snow shower possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. A brief rain shower possible. Highs 52-59. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain. Highs 52-59. Wind variable 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (MAY 3-7)

The region may warm up briefly with a southwesterly air flow on May 3, but the predominant pattern will be cooler with occasional episodes of showers during the balance of the first week of May as a frontal boundary sits in the region once again.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 8-11)

Overall pattern similar, frontal boundary tends to hang nearby with episodes of unsettled weather and variable temperatures averaging not that far from normal.

C-19 Chat Post – April 28 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 27 – MAY 1)

The high and mid level clouds have already arrived ahead of an approaching frontal boundary. This boundary is going to tease the forecasters over the next few days with challenging wind direction and temperature forecast, and even present a challenge trying to figure out when the best chances of passing areas of rain will be. This is how I think it goes, and the overall idea is very similar to what I put forth on yesterday’s blog. For today, already there is more cloudiness than I had expected, but I do think some of that will thin out and we will still end up with a fair amount of sun at times, but it may vary from place to place and time to time. It will be a dry day, however, on the mild side, and less windy than yesterday was as that departing low is now far enough away and high pressure slides southwest of the region. Impulses of energy in the form of waves on the frontal boundary will bring increased rain chances that I think time for mostly the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday and again Wednesday evening, and a couple more times between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon, although tweaks will be needed most likely. There may be enough instability for a couple thunderstorms thrown into these rain chances too, though nothing widespread or severe is expected to occur. So our last 4 days of April will feature “disorganized” weather, for lack of a better term, and it won’t be until we get to Saturday, the first day of May, that it currently looks more clear cut: Gusty wind, cool air and a sun/cloud mix behind departing low pressure, with upper level disturbance still crossing the region and possibly triggering a few passing rain showers. Mother Nature, I challenge you to change this day 5 forecast on me! 😉

TODAY: Variably cloudy but some sunshine. Highs 64-71. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. A few passing rain showers possible and a slight chance of a thunderstorm. Lows 45-52. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. A few rain showers possible. Highs 55-62 southern NH and northern MA, coolest coast, and 63-70 to the south. Wind variable becoming mostly E 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy rain showers likely and a slight chance of a thunderstorm evening. Partly cloudy overnight. Lows 48-55. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY: Variably cloudy. Best chance of a rain shower early morning and late afternoon. Highs 58-65 coast with coolest Cape Cod, 66-73 interior. Wind variable to W 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely and a slight chance of a thunderstorm. Lows 50-57. Wind SW 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Highs 60-67. Wind SW 10-20 MPH may shift to NW.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 40-47. Wind NW 15-25 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. A rain shower possible. Highs 53-60. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (MAY 2-6)

I don’t think we get a forecasting break during the first week of May, as our region will likely still be near a frontal boundary for much of if not all of the time. Early guess, warm front approaches with clouds and risk of light rainfall May 2, high pressure builds in with a dry and mild interlude next day, then we go back into the in-and-out-of-clouds with occasional brief wet weather chances, but nothing that’s really going to produce beneficial rain.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 7-11)

I’ve been looking for indications of change, but still not seeing it. Still leaning toward the idea of weak systems with limited rain changes, but no long stretches of fair/warm weather.

C-19 Chat Post – April 27 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 26-30)

Plenty of springtime variety is on our weather agenda for these final 5 days of April. We should still get our warm-up, I think, but it will last a fraction of the time that our guidance was trying to tell us just a few days ago. That will come at midweek at least in theory, but before that, we have a blustery Monday and a tranquil Tuesday. Today’s gusty breeze comes courtesy the circulation around the low pressure area that went by us yesterday without much fanfare. Since then, it has started to strengthen as it merged with energy to its north. Now, as a much more formidable storm system its need for air intake is greater, hence the increased wind between it and high pressure to our southwest. The low moves away enough and high pressure edges closer to get rid of the wind or at least reduce it down to a lighter breeze during Tuesday. You’ll notice high clouds starting to move in during the day and much more cloudiness will follow this at night as a warm front moves into the region. There should be enough moisture with this front to result in the possibility of a few rain showers and maybe even a thunderstorm near this boundary. Now I said the warm front will move into the region, but that does not necessarily mean it will move through the region. There’s a distinct possibility that the boundary never quite clears the region and becomes stationary or even drifts back to the southwest, and what it does is crucial to the temperature forecast here. While one can look at the guidance and come up with a forecast that is warmer Wednesday and cooler Thursday, it could very well end up the opposite with the warm up delayed on Wednesday if the boundary struggles to come through, and a warmer Thursday as a slightly stronger wave of low pressure tracks north of our region. Just yesterday, I was thinking that this entire boundary may have pushed far enough south for high pressure to the north to give us a dry Thursday. There are forecasts that have just as much chance of being correct for showery weather Thursday while the scenario I can see happening brings us drier, warmer weather for a brief time that day before the front comes back to the south, and during Friday with wetter weather. Even that timing is far from clear-cut with some guidance slower and other guidance faster. The best way to go in this situation is just to forecast the front to be nearby with unsettled weather, then fine-tune the forecast in subsequent updates, and that’s exactly what I am going to do…

TODAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 54-61. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 36-43. Wind NW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

TUESDAY: Sunny start then some high clouds filtering the sun at times. Highs 64-71. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. A few passing rain showers possible and a slight chance of a thunderstorm. Lows 45-52. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. A few rain showers possible. Highs 55-62 southern NH and northern MA, coolest coast, and 63-70 to the south. Wind variable becoming mostly E 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showers evening. Partly cloudy overnight. Lows 48-55. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY: Partly sunny. A few rain showers possible. Highs 58-65 coast, 66-73 interior. Wind variable to W 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Becoming mostly cloudy with a better chance of rain showers. Lows 50-57. Wind SW 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Highs 60-67. Wind SW 10-20 MPH may shift to NW.

DAYS 6-10 (MAY 1-5)

Still not going to be the highest confidence forecast here coming out of an already uncertain end-of-April forecast, but best call at this time is that we see low pressure depart and high pressure approach but an upper low still crossing the region May 1 with a sun/cloud mix and maybe a pop up shower along with breezy and cool conditions, then dry and milder weather May 2. Once again we likely deal with a boundary in the region heading into early next week with uncertain temperature, cloud, and rain threat forecasts, but the potential for unsettled weather definitely there.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 6-10)

Still not a strong indication of any big change, likely a flip floppy outlook period due to uncertainty of where we sit in regards to a boundary that seems to want to hang out with us for a while. While unsettled weather is often possible in this pattern, I like the idea of leaning drier than average with variable temperatures, but no huge temperature departures from normal.

C-19 Chat Post – April 26 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 25-29)

Low pressure moves quickly northeastward, passing southeast of New England today and this evening, bringing some rain, but not as much as it would have had it phased with some energy to its north. But I guess we’ll take what we can get in this deficit situation, although the heaviest will end up falling where it is least-needed, and the areas that need it most will miss out on the higher amounts. Once this gets by us, drier air comes back in overnight and Monday on a gusty north to northwest wind, and fair weather lasts through Tuesday, though that day will be more tranquil as a weak area of high pressure moves across the region. I’m now more accepting of the idea that high pressure is not going to prevent any further unsettled weather through midweek. It won’t be nearly as dominant as previously (and erroneously) indicated by guidance. We will find ourselves in a bit of a battle ground between warmth to the south and cool air to the north, which is definitely not atypical of this time of year either. A warm front will slide into the region late Tuesday night and early Wednesday, and may not completely make it all the way while its parent low pressure area, will be moving rapidly east southeastward and will drag that boundary back across there region as a cold front during Wednesday, a day that will feature lots of clouds and an opportunity for rain showers. There’s a bit of a dilemma for day 5 of this forecast (Thursday). One medium range model takes that system far enough south so that a bubble of Canadian high pressure has enough influence on our region to provide a nice day Thursday, while another model moves the disturbance much more slowly, keeping the frontal boundary and shower chances in the region. For now, I’ll lean toward the drier solution…

TODAY: Cloudy. Rain arriving southwest to northeast during the morning, tapering to drizzle late in the day. Areas of fog. Temperatures steady 47-54 or may fall slightly. Wind S up to 10 MPH this morning shifting to E 5-15 MPH with gusts up to 20 MPH near the coast during the afternoon.

TONIGHT: Lots of clouds with a few patches of drizzle and maybe a rain shower early, then clearing. Lows 37-44. Wind shifting to N 10-20 MPH and gusty.

MONDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 54-61. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 38-45. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny start then some high clouds filtering the sun at times. Highs 65-72. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Brief light rain possible mainly northern MA and southern NH overnight. Lows 48-55. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Highs 67-74. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showres evening. Clearing overnight. Lows 45-52. Wind N 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 58-65, coolest coast. Wind NE 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 30 – MAY 4)

Since we already have uncertainty as to the position of weather systems and the resultant weather here just 5 days into the forecast, going forward from there will be fairly low confidence as well, as one will impact the other to some degree. Today’s guidance is somewhat similar to what was indicated yesterday, which was a notable shift in the overall set-up from what was being shown previously, so this forecast, while low confidence, will be based on that idea being at least somewhat in the ballpark of accuracy. We’ll be near a boundary with cool air in eastern Canada and a warm US Southeast (where have we heard that before?) and this will bring a few opportunities for unsettled weather, which we can hope will bring us some beneficial rainfall. As far as day-to-day timing of such possibilities, that will have to be fine-tuned as we get closer to this time frame.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 5-9)

Adjustment to this forecast period based on the above idea, and thinking that the overall pattern will leave us near the aforementioned boundary, with no real indication of a major change in the pattern from the 6-10 day period. As always, will be paying attention to the guidance trends and overall pattern in general to bring these days into better forecast focus once it is possible to do so.

C-19 Chat Post – April 25 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 24-28)

Short discussion today so you can get outside to enjoy the one nice day in the weekend split! High pressure is now offshore of the Middle Atlantic and will provide our area with a very nice spring today today before low pressure spoils the second half of the weekend with overcast and wet weather. The pluses about the low pressure area will be that any rainfall we get helps, though this still does not look like a system that will reach its maximum potential as it will be moving quickly and not really linking up with energy passing north of here until they are both well beyond the region. Monday will be our blustery day behind the low and ahead of approaching high pressure. High pressure sits atop the region Tuesday with fair weather. There’s a little question in the forecast today as to whether or not that longer stretch of dry weather takes place without interruption. I hesitate to buy into it too quickly but it is showing up on a few sets of guidance, and that is a frontal boundary from the north approaching by Wednesday, which would be at least clouds and possibly a shower threat. I’m only going to nibble on this a bit for today’s forecast then re-evaluate. If something like that did happen it would be an example of guidance often being questionable beyond day 3, and is also typical for springtime anyway.

TODAY: Sun and high clouds. Highs 67-74, cooler Cape Cod and a few other coastal areas. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 47-54. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Rain arriving southwest to northeast during the morning, tapering to drizzle late in the day. Areas of fog. Temperatures steady 47-54 or may fall slightly. Wind E 5-15 MPH with gusts around 20 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 37-44. Wind N 10-20 MPH and gusty.

MONDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 54-61. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 38-45. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 65-72. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 48-55. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 67-74. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 29 – MAY 3)

A considerable shift in guidance between yesterday and today regarding the weather for the last couple days of April and first few days of May. Previous indications were for high pressure to sit over the region with dry and warm (cooler coast) conditions to end April then low pressure to evolve and sit south of the region with a cooler more general easterly flow developing but a struggle for any rain to get this far north. Today’s guidance likes the idea of a frontal boundary nearby with a battle between 2 high pressure areas, one to the south, one to the north, more cloudiness here, and at least some risk of a couple episodes of wet weather for the last couple days of April, and this pattern remaining in place into the first few days of May as well. I’m not sold on this yet, even though it shows up on more than one model. Leaning toward scenario number 1 for this update. Re-evaluation tomorrow.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 4-8)

It goes without saying since I am not making any big changes in the 6-10 day forecast period that I will leave this section alone for now as well. Expecting low pressure to the south but whether it comes far enough north for occasional wet weather is not certain. This forecast will also have to be re-evaluated for the next update.

C-19 Chat Post – April 24 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 23-27)

Alright, you got by the “retro-winter” day yesterday with temperatures in the upper 30s and 40s, gusty wind, and snow showers around. Today will be a piece of cake, despite still being on the windy side. With much more sunshine today, but still a few passing clouds later, after a cold morning we’ll see a decent temperature recovery so that some areas reach 60 this afternoon. This will be occurring as low pressure pulls further away in eastern Canada and a high pressure area slides across the Mid Atlantic region, then offshore by tomorrow when we warm up even more. Low pressure will be approaching the region quickly though and will impact Sunday, making it a weekend split for weather. But the trends on recent guidance have done with this system what a lot of systems have done, and the indication is that this low will have a slight disconnect with energy it could phase with to its north, and be moving rather quickly, not quite maximizing its potential for precipitation. We’ll still get some beneficial rain from it, just not as much. Either way, that system is gone by Monday, a day which will be about half way between yesterday’s weather and today’s weather, cool and breezy, but not too cold, and without the snow showers – just dry weather with a sun/cloud mix. By next Tuesday, we’ll be in what will be the start of a new blocking pattern when things slow down again, once again with high pressure on top of us – the start of a dry & warmer stretch of weather…

TODAY: Sun & passing clouds. Highs 55-62. Wind W 10-20 MPH, gusts up to 30 MPH.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 38-45. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sun and high clouds. Highs 65-72, cooler South Coast. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 47-54. Wind S to SE 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Rain likely. Temperatures steady 47-54 or may fall slightly. Wind E 10-20 MPH and gusty.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with lingering drizzle and possible rain showers early, then breaking clouds overnight. Lows 37-44. Wind N 10-20 MPH and gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 54-61. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 38-45. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 65-72. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 28 – MAY 2)

A weak blocking pattern is expected with high pressure parked over the East Coast, resulting in fair and warmer than normal weather April 28-30, with some coastal areas being cooler each day. Low pressure may position itself south of New England by the first couple of days of the new month, turning the wind more easterly here which would cool things down somewhat, but not quite sure how quickly this evolution will take place yet.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 3-7)

A general blocking pattern should remain in place, but slow movement of weather systems will occur and we’ll watch for low pressure to the south should it come far enough north to finally produce some rainfall again…

C-19 Chat Post – April 23 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 22-26)

Happy Earth Day 2021! Take care of our planet! It is our only home…. Well, this year’s edition of Earth Day here in southeastern New England may as well be on a day in late February or early March for how it’s going to feel. The last couple days’ taste of the warmer side of spring, ending with yesterday’s showers and thunderstorms, is now a memory as we’ve had a strong cold front pass by, opening the door to a strong shot of polar air from Canada on gusty northwesterly winds. The mechanism pulling this air into our region at the surface is the pressure gradient between the now stronger low pressure wave that went by us yesterday as it travels through eastern Canada and a high pressure area sliding southeastward from the Ohio Valley toward the Middle Atlantic States. Other than a narrow ocean-effect band of stratocumulus clouds just north of the tip of Cape Cod, and some strips of similar clouds from the mountains making it into southwestern NH, central MA, and one closer to the South Coast, much of the region is starting out with sunshine despite the blustery and cold conditions, but there is plenty of even colder air aloft and not only will we have additional cumulus & stratocumulus clouds coming in from the northwest today, but additional clouds will fill in any clear spaces as the sun heats the ground below. This is a process we see on a fairly regular basis here in the Northeast, and it most frequently happens in spring and sometimes autumn. There will be enough instability that a few rain and even snow showers may fall from some of these clouds as we go through the day and into early this evening, before they finally start to break up and dissipate. Friday’s weather will still feature a gusty breeze, though less strong that today, and we’ll have more sunshine as a downsloping westerly wind will dry the air and warmer air above leads to less cloud development. As high pressure moves offshore during Saturday we’ll see the wind flow go from west to southwest and we’ll warm nicely, except for typical cooler South Coast regions. But with things on the move with this week’s zonal pattern, the next low pressure area will be making a run at the region by Sunday, which looks like a wet, windy, and chilly day, but any rain is needed, as we remain in a significant deficit. This system will move beyond the region by Monday, a day that will be breezy and drier but on the cool side as well…

TODAY: Sun/cloud mix morning. Mostly cloudy afternoon with a passing rain or snow shower possible, favoring southern NH and northern MA. Highs 43-50. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, gusts 30-40 MPH.

TONIGHT: Variably cloudy. Slight chance of a rain or snow shower early. Lows 28-35. Wind W 10-20 MPH and gusty, diminishing overnight.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 55-62. Wind W 10-20 MPH, gusts up to 30 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 40-47. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sun and high clouds. Highs 65-72, cooler South Coast. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 47-54. Wind S to SE 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Rain likely. Temperatures steady 47-54 or may fall slightly. Wind E 10-20 MPH and gusty.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lingering drizzle and possible rain showers early. Lows 40-47. Wind N 10-20 MPH and gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 52-59. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 27 – MAY 1)

Zonal (west to east) flow pattern starts to transition to blocking again… Similar to a recent blocking pattern, we’ll be on the dry side of it with high pressure dominating our weather with mild to warm days which will feature coastal sea breezes at times.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 2-6)

A general blocking pattern should remain in place, but slow movement of weather systems will occur and we may end up with low pressure south of our region and an increased chance for cloud cover and eventually rainfall. Low confidence outlook at this time.

C-19 Chat Post – April 22 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 21-25)

The changeability of New England’s spring weather can be showcased in many ways. Yesterday in speaking with a friend on social media, I noted that one such example of the upcoming swings will be that some locations that reached or exceeded 70 yesterday may see a snow shower Thursday evening with wind chill in the 20s, only to be back near 70 again Saturday. When the first bubblings of the coming summer’s heat start to build in the South, and winter’s lingering cold and snow cover try to hang on in Canada, they often meet somewhere between, and our region is definitely somewhere in between. We live in a meteorological battleground, and while this can be seen numerous times throughout the year, it’s often most vividly displayed in the springtime. And here we are now. This next showcase of variability will be started as a frontal boundary, the one that entered from the west as a cold front that promptly came to a halt over the region and slid back to the north as a warm front, becomes the atmospheric running board for a low pressure wave today. This low will track just northwest of the WHW forecast area, across northern New England. On our side of the boundary resides mild air, for now, and the low pressure areas and the contrast across the front from our mild side to a much colder air mass on the other side, will result in a more widespread ribbon of showery rainfall that will be preceded by isolated rain showers. Once the main shower area gets here it may have a thunderstorm or two embedded in it, but mainly this will just be a gusty rain shower episode later today into this evening. The snow that has been falling across much of the Midwest behind the front is going to head across northern New England, giving the mountains a bit of snow for a little more spring skiing, and while that area will miss our area, the cold air behind the front will not miss. We’ll see a significant temperature tumble from today’s mild readings to air that feels more like February or March on Thursday, which is ironically Earth Day. Not a great day for an Earth Day picnic – sorry! Blustery, chilly, sun to start then lots of clouds. Some of those clouds may even produce a rain or snow shower, favoring the hilly terrain west and north of Boston, by later Thursday. The gusty wind will be the result of the air pressure difference between departing low pressure in eastern Canada and a high pressure area sliding southeastward from the Ohio Valley to the Middle Atlantic States. This high will move across the Middle Atlantic and offshore during Friday and Saturday. During that time we will see the wind relax and shift to the west Friday and southwest Saturday, resulting in a warming trend with dry weather. Another low pressure area will be trekking eastward in a now zonal (west to east) flow pattern, and it’s destined to bring our next shot at much needed rainfall for the second half of the upcoming weekend. More details on this system as we get a little bit closer to the event…

TODAY: Partly sunny through early afternoon with isolated rain showers. Mostly cloudy mid through late afternoon with widespread rain showers and possibly a thunderstorm arriving from west to east. Highs 55-62 South Coast, 63-70 elsewhere. Wind S increasing to 10-20 MPH, gusts to 30 MPH.

TONIGHT: Cloudy with numerous rain showers evening. Clearing west to east overnight. Lows 32-39. Wind shifting to NW 15-25 MPH, gusts 30-40 MPH.

THURSDAY: Sunny start, then lots of clouds. A rain or snow shower possible mainly hills north and west of Boston by mid to late afternoon. Highs 43-50. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, gusts 30-40 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Slight chance of a rain or snow shower early. Lows 31-38. Wind W 10-20 MPH and gusty.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 50-57. Wind W 10-20 MPH, gusts up to 30 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 40-47. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sun and high clouds. Highs 65-72, cooler South Coast. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Lows 47-54. Wind S to SE 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Rain likely. Highs 50-57. Wind E 10-20 MPH and gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 26-30)

Zonal (west to east) flow pattern starts to transition to blocking again… Drier/breezy/cool April 26 as low pressure departs and high pressure builds toward the region from the west. High pressure may sit over the area for several days thereafter ending April with a dry stretch, temperatures trending milder but coolest along the coast much of the time.

DAYS 11-15 (MAY 1-5)

Favoring continued blocking with the region staying mostly dry with near seasonable temperatures, but it won’t take much to completely change this outlook, so it’s low confidence.