DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 2-6)

Apologies for the very late update. Today, we’ve seen the expected development of diurnal clouds due to sunshine acting on air with moisture lingering from yesterday’s rainfall and rising into cold air aloft. The atmosphere is fairly stable so these clouds are not too vertical, but rather flat and spread out, leading to a more general coverage versus scattered individual cells that can produce heavier precipitation. However they can grow thick enough to produce a few flakes of snow mainly northwest of Boston, but any flurries that occur will be insignificant. And speaking of snow, some of you may have seen snow showers late last evening as the cold air became established across there region. If you didn’t see them, or were missed, you can trust me that they were there. And that cold air is established this afternoon with temperatures in the 40s and a gusty northwesterly breeze. But we’ll see some improvement soon, tomorrow in fact, as we have plenty of sun and temperature moderation into the 50s. I’d like to say this trend is going to continue for Sunday (Easter, for those celebrating) but I can’t. A disturbance will be coming across the region, delivering clouds Saturday night into Sunday, before they decrease again, and there may be a passing rain or snow shower Easter morning. All the while, as previously mentioned, the atmosphere is developing a typical spring blocking pattern, and a large cut off low pressure area will be drifting westward through the Canadian Maritimes, close enough to put us into a northeasterly air flow early next week, keeping temperatures from warming back up too much. Most of the precipitation from that low will fair to reach our area, but some of its cloudiness will make it into the region.

REMAINDER OF AFTERNOON: Lots of clouds – most snow South Shore & South Coast of MA, most clouds NW of Boston where a few snow flurries are possible. Highs 40-47. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

TONIGHT: Gradual clearing. Lows 27-34. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 53-60. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible overnight. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind N 10-20 MPH.

MONDAY: Mostly cloudy. A rain or snow shower possible. Highs 47-54. Wind N 10-20 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind N 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 48-55. Wind N 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 7-11)

Large scale blocking. Low pressure to the east drifts away but high pressure will be in eastern Canada and winds will often be northeast to east in our area. Eventually another low will approach from the southwest. While the first few days of the period are likely to be mainly dry, the precipitation risk will increase later in the period.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 12-16)

Overall blocking pattern continues with high pressure to the north of the region and the tendency for low pressure to be to the south. Leaning toward the drier side overall, but can’t rule out some periods of precipitation from low pressure to the south or coastal influence from low level moisture.

C-19 Chat Post – April 2 2021

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 1-5)

The new month starts off wet with an upside down temperature day. The most widespread and heaviest rain shower activity went through overnight and is gone, but some additional showers hang on as a cold front continues to move through the region, slowly at first, then a bit more quickly as an area of low pressure pulls away from the region and yanks the front offshore. This will introduce a cold air mass which will be felt in force tonight and Friday as we get a gusty northwesterly air flow. Some clearing takes place tonight but clouds may fill back in on Friday due to solar heating of the ground interacting with cold air aloft. Saturday will be the pick of the next 5 days, sunniest and least chilly. Saturday night and Sunday, a disturbance will return some clouds and cooler air to the region. All the while, the atmosphere will see a blocking pattern evolving and by Monday, low pressure from the Canadian Maritimes will head westward and bring a chilly northerly air flow and lots of clouds, and possibly some precipitation (not likely a lot) to the region.

TODAY: Cloudy morning with lingering rain showers. Mostly cloudy with a few breaks of sun possible afternoon and only a slight chance of a rain shower. Highs 45-52 except 52-59 east I-95 before falling into the 40s. Wind shifting to NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy evening with a very light rain or snow shower possible southeastern NH and eastern MA. Partial clearing overnight. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusts to 30 MPH.

FRIDAY: Partial sun morning. Mostly cloudy afternoon. Highs 41-48. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts especially in the morning.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Gradual clearing. Lows 27-34. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sunny morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 53-60. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible overnight. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 30-37. Wind N 10-20 MPH.

MONDAY: Mostly cloudy. A rain or snow shower possible. Highs 40-47. Wind N 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 6-10)

Large scale blocking pattern continues with low pressure nearby, but positioned that we’re on the drier side with no temperature extremes (cool days, nights that are not too cold). A couple bouts of unsettled weather are possible but no major precipitation events.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 11-15)

Reorganizing blocking – one low pulls away to the east, new low arrives from the west and takes up residence. This doesn’t mean rainy weather for days, just a tendency for unsettled weather at times and no big temperature extremes. Plenty of fine-tuning to do on this forecast.

Effective immediately! Woods Hill Weather will cease operations permanently. This site will be replaced by AccuWeather’s 2 month daily forecast. Just go to their web page and enter your location. Who needs boring discussions anyway?

Oh yes, Happy April 1st! 😉

C-19 Chat Post – April 1 2021

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 31 -APRIL 4)

The last day of March is likely to be warmer than the first 4 days of April. That’s spring in New England – you know how it goes. We’ll be in a mild southerly air flow ahead of an approaching cold front today and we’ll see a lot more cloudiness than we saw the last couple days, but other than the cooling influence a southerly wind has along the South Coast, many areas will push or exceed 60 today. We’ll start to see some isolated to scattered rain shower activity moving into the region, mostly west of Boston, during this afternoon, and as low pressure coming out of the southern US links up with the front and moves up along it, the shower activity will become numerous to widespread during tonight and into Thursday morning. Now it’s pretty apparent that the end of the precipitation will come before the arrival of air cold enough to flip it to snow in the WHW forecast area, with rain showers lingering in the region at least through midday and maybe one more surge sometime in the early or mid afternoon before we say bye to that. As the cold air comes in at night, a brief snow flurry may occur mainly north of Boston, otherwise expect dry and colder weather Thursday night and Friday, and while we see some sun for a time on Friday, very cold air aloft will likely allow for diurnal cloud development filling the sky in again, so sun may become quite limited that day. An area of high pressure slides just to the south of New England Saturday, which will be a milder day with more sun, but by late-day or evening more clouds will arrive ahead of another disturbance from the northwest, and a cold front associated with this disturbance will bring cooler weather back to the region for Sunday, which right now looks unsettled to start with a few showers of rain and even mix/snow, though insignificant, and then mainly dry weather.

TODAY: Variably cloudy – most sun this morning and lingering longest Cape Cod. Isolated rain showers mainly well west and northwest of Boston this afternoon. Highs 60-67 except 52-59 South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers in the evening. Cloudy with numerous to widespread rain showers overnight. Lows 49-56. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with widespread to numerous rain showers morning. Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers ending southwest to northeast afternoon. Highs 51-58 morning, then falling into the 40s in the afternoon. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy evening with a very light rain or snow shower possible southeastern NH and northeastern MA. Partial clearing overnight. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusts to 30 MPH.

FRIDAY: Partial sun morning. Mostly cloudy afternoon. Highs 41-48. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts especially in the morning.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Gradual clearing. Lows 27-34. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sunny morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 53-60. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible overnight. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with a passing shower of rain/mix/snow possible morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 45-52. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 5-9)

The large scale pattern will feature a block with a broad low pressure area retrograding through the Canadian Maritimes, keep this area on the cooler side but not too far from normal due to days that are cool but nights that the temperature doesn’t fall too much. At least the early part of the period may feature some unsettled weather do to the position of the aforementioned low pressure area, followed by mostly dry weather.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 10-14)

The tendency may be for the block to re-organize itself, with one low pulling away to be replaced by another one, first coming from the west before slowing down. This is not a high confidence outlook and is a mix of guidance and climatology. Not expecting this to turn into a very wet pattern, though it may be unsettled with a lack of temperature extremes.

C-19 Chat Post – March 31 2021

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 30 -APRIL 3)

This next-to-last day of March will be a nice one, courtesy an area of high pressure. And even though the final day of the month is going to be cloudier, it will be milder, and really not that bad, as it looks like most of the rainfall from an approaching frontal system / low pressure area will hold off until evening and nighttime. This is the system that raised the question of baseball or no baseball at Fenway on Thursday April 1, and whether or not the rain may end mixed with a bit of wet snow or leave behind a few showers or flurries. Not 100% sure on either of those yet, and the forecast is basically the same as yesterday’s was at this point. It will turn quite cool for the first couple days of April – that much we do know for sure. High pressure moves over or even just south of the region allowing moderation by the start of the weekend.

TODAY: Sunny. Highs 55-62. Wind S 5-15 MPH.

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Late-day rain showers possible. Highs 60-67 except 50s South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Widespread rain showers. Lows 46-53. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Rain showers ending during the morning, possibly mixed with snow. Temperatures steady 46-53 early then falling to the upper 30s. Wind shifting to NW 10-20 MPH increasing to 15-25 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 28-35. Wind NW 15-25 MPH and gusty.

FRIDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 40-47. Wind NW 10-20 MPH and gusty.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 25-32. Wind W under 10 MPH.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 53-60. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 4-8)

Large scale blocking pattern. The overall setup is one that should keep us on the drier side with no major storminess having direct impact on our region. Temperatures are likely to trend cooler during April 4-6 but may briefly moderate around April 7 or 8 depending on what side of a boundary we sit on.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 9-13)

Larger scale blocking pattern may keep it on the cooler side of normal but with limited unsettled weather as we may remain in a drier part of the block. Hints that that block may weaken or try to reset later in the period and it may turn more unsettled at that time – but details that far out aren’t going to be known.

C-19 Chat Post – March 30 2021

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 29 -APRIL 2)

Winter’s reminder starts off the new week as we experience strong wind gusts behind departing low pressure, and a chunk of cold air crossing the region. High pressure nudges eastward by Tuesday and helps slacken the wind while moderating the air, so Tuesday will have a bit more feel of spring to it. This high pressure area then crosses the region and positions itself offshore while a frontal boundary approaches from the west Wednesday – a milder but windier day which turns cloudy, and eventually wet as a ribbon of rain moves in from the west, probably late-day or night. As we flip the calendar from March to April, the first question to answer will be timing of rain’s end on Thursday as we’ll probably see a wave of low pressure moving up along a cold front as it passes offshore. I don’t think the timing and arrival of cold air will be such that we flip to snow here before it ends, but that does still remain at least a remote possibility, so we’ll have to watch for that. The Red Sox home opener is scheduled for Thursday, which even if it can be played due to drying weather it will be played with a gusty wind and chilly temperatures – not highly unusual for baseball in early April. High pressure builds into the region from the west by Friday which will be a bright, breezy, and chilly day as another shot of Canadian cold air is delivered, whether you ordered it or not. 😉

TODAY: Sun/cloud mix morning. Sunny afternoon. Highs 45-52. Wind W 15-25 MPH with gusts 30-45 MPH, but 50 MPH or greater in some higher elevations.

TONIGHT: Clear. Lows 26-33. Wind W 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 55-62. Wind S 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Afternoon rain showers possible. Highs 60-67 except 50s South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Widespread rain showers. Lows 46-53. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Rain showers ending during the morning, possibly mixed with snow. Temperatures steady 46-53 early then falling to the upper 30s. Wind shifting to NW 10-20 MPH increasing to 15-25 MPH with higher gusts.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 28-35. WInd NW 15-25 MPH and gusty.

FRIDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 40-47. Wind NW 10-20 MPH and gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 3-7)

Large scale blocking pattern. The overall setup is one that should keep us on the drier side with no major storminess having direct impact on our region. Temperatures are tricky, leaning toward an April 3-4 weekend warm-up and a cool-down the first part of the following week.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 8-12)

Larger scale blocking pattern may keep it on the cooler side of normal but with limited unsettled weather as we may remain in a drier part of the block.

C-19 Chat Post – March 29 2021

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 28 -APRIL 1)

Hope you enjoyed yesterday. Although it started out with a gusty northwesterly breeze and ended up with a chilly sea breeze for some, by late March standards it was a nice day. Today won’t be quite so nice. It’s already overcast and approaching low pressure from the west will send a slug of rainfall into the region. There’s enough instability with the system that we may even get some thunderstorm activity with the rainfall this evening as an occluded frontal system moves across the region. Although we do need that rain to help alleviate recent dryness and also fire danger which has been spiking on our dry, breezy days. Speaking of dry and windy, that’s the type of weather we get Monday as our rain-producer moves away and pulls a chunk of cold air out of Canada. High pressure moves in with a less windy and milder Tuesday, but March may exit with a bit of a roar as strong cold front approaches from the west Wednesday with windy and showery weather by late-day or nighttime. In the medium range, we’ve been pondering the questions of what will happen when the front crosses the region around April 1. Well, it will bring colder air back to the region – that much we know. It will bring some wet weather to start the new month – that much we’re pretty sure of. Will it move slowly enough that enough moisture will be around for that rain to change to snow? It’s still several days away, so I’m not sure, but I’m leaning away from a “snow” threat there and maybe just some rain showers or snow flurries as the front moves off and cold air arrives. Still time to fine-tune this.

TODAY: Overcast. Areas of fog and drizzle developing during the morning especially near the coast. Rain arriving west to east midday continuing through afternoon. . Highs 46-53. Wind SE to E 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.

TONIGHT: Cloudy evening with rain showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, also areas of fog. Breaking clouds overnight. Lows 36-43. Wind shifting to N and increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 42-49. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, gusts 30-45 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 28-35. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 55-62. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Afternoon rain showers possible. Highs 58-65 except cooler South Coast. Wind SW 10-20 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain showers likely. Lows 42-49. Wind S 10-20 MPH shifting to NW.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow showers. Temperatures steady 42-49. Wind NW 15-25 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 2-6)

Large scale blocking pattern. Leaning toward mainly dry but cooler than normal weather with broad low pressure evolving and staying quasi-stationary to the east of the region.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 7-11)

Larger scale blocking pattern may keep it on the cooler side of normal but with limited unsettled weather as we may remain in a drier part of the block.

C-19 Chat Post – March 28 2021

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 27-31)

The home stretch of March 2021 starts with a nice day as high pressure enters the region today. While the center of the high is still to our west we’ll have a gusty breeze this morning, which will settle down as the high moves overhead during the day. Today is definitely the pick of the weekend though for outdoor activity, as advancing low pressure will bring cloudiness back in tonight which thickens up quickly Sunday morning and is followed by rain, which we need to knock down fire danger and chip away from what had been a rebuilding precipitation deficit. Sunday’s rainmaker will exit by early Monday and behind it will be a shot of windy and colder weather. High pressure heads into the region from the west by Tuesday – a nice day, and then gives way to an approaching frontal system from the west Wednesday which will be milder, and may turn showery by day’s end…

TODAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 54-61. Wind NW 10-20 MPH morning, diminishing afternoon..

TONIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 36-43 evening, may rise slowly overnight. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming SE.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Patchy fog/drizzle morning. Rain arriving west to east by midday continuing thereafter. Highs 46-53. Wind SE to E 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Cloudy evening with area of fog/drizzle and a passing shower or possible thunderstorm. Breaking clouds overnight. Lows 36-43. Wind shifting to N and increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 42-49. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, gusts 30-45 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 28-35. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 55-62. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Late-day or nighttime rain showers possible. Highs 58-65. Wind SW 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 1-5)

Cold front moves through April 1 with at least a round of rain showers – will watch for an area of low pressure that may form on the front and give a period of rain and even mix/snow depending on timing of precipitation vs. arrival of cold air. Blocking pattern evolving means we will have to look for our weather not necessarily coming from the west during the days following this, and colder air from Canada may win out. We should have a couple or a few dry days but it may eventually turn unsettled before this period is over.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 6-10)

Larger scale blocking pattern may keep it on the cooler side of normal but with limited unsettled weather as we may end up in a drier part of the block.

C-19 Chat Post – March 27 2021