7:38AM
DAYS 1-5 (DECEMBER 20-24)
High pressure moves offshore today, a very nice day by December standards despite fading sun later behind cloudiness ahead of what will be a potent storm, the center of which will pass just west of New England late Friday. This will allow warm air and tropical moisture to flow northward across southeastern New England making for a wet and fairly warm Winter Solstice day (solstice 5:23PM Friday). With ground still somewhat saturated from the wet autumn, flooding may again be an issue as some heavy rainfall will occur in waves with this system. Also, pockets of wind damage may occur due to a moderate to strong southerly wind. It will be unstable enough that thunderstorms are possible. The storm center will head across southeastern Canada Saturday, dragging drier air in behind it, with colder air eventually arriving as a cold front sweeps across the region. This will return seasonably chilly air to the region but with bright and fair weather for Sunday. A disturbance will pass over or just south of the region Monday, Christmas Eve, bringing the slight chance of scattered light precipitation.
Forecast details…
TODAY: Increasing clouds. Highs 40-47. Wind S up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Thickening overcast. Rain arriving overnight. Temperatures steady 40-47. Wind S 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.
FRIDAY: Cloudy. Rain likely with embedded heavier showers and possible thunderstorms. Highs 55-62. Wind S 10-20 MPH except 20-30 MPH South Coast, higher gusts likely all areas.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with numerous rain showers and possible thunderstorms, diminishing from west to east overnight. Lows 48-55. Wind S 15-30 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to SW and diminishing to 5-15 MPH with higher gusts overnight.
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers very early and a passing rain shower possible midday. Temperatures steady 48-55 morning, falling through the 40s afternoon. Wind SW shifting to W 15-25 MPH with higher gusts possible.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Temperatures fall to the 30s then remain steady during the day.
MONDAY (CHRISTMAS EVE): Variably cloudy. Chance of snow showers except rain showers South Coast. Lows in the 20s. Highs from the middle 30s to lower 40s.
DAYS 6-10 (DECEMBER 25-29)
Dry and seasonably cold December 25 (Christmas Day) through December 27. Risk of some rain/snow showers and slightly milder late period from a northern jet stream disturbance.
DAYS 11-15 (DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 3)
Dry, seasonably chilly to end 2018. A storm system may bring some unsettled weather in the earliest days of 2019.