Tuesday February 20 2024 Forecast (7:15AM)

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DAYS 1-5 (FEBRUARY 20-24)

We’re right on the eastern edge of the northerly air flow ahead of high pressure, and a little surface boundary will push a band of clouds across Cape Cod early this morning, but no precipitation will fall from these. The high pressure area will build over our region today and remain in place tonight. We have a cold start to the day after an overnight of clear sky and light wind, and this will repeat again tonight. In between, we can expected a sunny, chilly daytime, and today will be one of those days you really start to notice the increased sun angle. High pressure retreats into southeastern Canada and the adjacent waters on Wednesday. At the same time, a large ocean storm will wind up well southeast of New England. This set-up will allow some high clouds from the storm to fan into our region, dimming the sun somewhat at times as we move through the day. Those clouds will thicken up Wednesday night into Thursday as that storm, while still pretty far offshore, makes a close enough pass to do this. Some guidance has the western edge of the storm’s rain shield touching Outer Cape Cod, and while I cannot rule this out, I feel it will remain offshore. Meanwhile, a trough approaches from the west Thursday with high and mid level clouds also increasing from that feature as it moves closer. While the offshore storm starts to move away, the trough from the west will swing through the region Thursday night and Friday. This will send one low center to our northwest, with its trailing frontal system bringing rain showers – that may start as mix/snow in higher elevations of central MA and southwestern NH. A wave of low pressure on the frontal boundary will prolong the wet weather through midday Friday before it starts to pull away. Dry weather arrives later Friday and continues through Saturday as high pressure builds into the Great Lakes, delivering a shot of colder air.

TODAY: Sunny except a brief period of passing clouds Cape Cod early. Highs 31-38. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

TONIGHT: Clear. Lows 17-24 except colder some interior low spots. Wind calm.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind S up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy. Highs 40-47. Wind S 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain showers, may begin as mix/snow showers some interior higher elevations. Lows 32-39. Wind S to variable 5-15 MPH.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with rain likely through midday, then some late-day clearing. Highs 40-47. Wind variable to N 5-15 MPH, higher gusts coastal areas.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 22-29. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 33-40. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (FEBRUARY 25-29)

A quick-moving trough may bring a few snow showers to the region later February 25 or early February 26 based on current system timing. Watching for additional unsettled weather from a couple low pressure systems during the last few days of the month, but it’s too early to detail this.

DAYS 11-15 (MARCH 1-5)

The first 5 days of March present opportunities for unsettled weather and changing temperatures, typical for what you’d expect for the time of year. Far too soon for any detailing of system timing, etc.

92 thoughts on “Tuesday February 20 2024 Forecast (7:15AM)”

  5. Thank you TK.

    Walked the shore and it was 21F, but no wind which of course makes a difference. The moment the sun came up, i could feel warmth on my face. Time is moving along.

  7. Thank you, TK.

    Thank you, Ace, for sending the article on Great Lakes (non) ice coverage. I’m concerned about this trend. It’s not just this year.

    1. I didn’t word it properly. I should have said I’m concerned about the long-term trend and this year’s lack of ice coverage in the Great Lakes is reflective of that.

  8. For the soccer fanatics among you, some sad news to share: Andreas Brehme died of a heart attack earlier today. He was 63. The German player was part of a super trio which included Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann (who later coached the U.S. men’s team). Brehme scored the winning goal in the 1990 World Cup.

  12. My grandniece is home from the hospital. She will have a hearing ck at mass eye and ear in the next week or two, but it was wonderful to see a pic of her at home with her dad and sister. Thank you to everyone for your positive thoughts and prayers

  17. Joshua. A while back you wrote an article about inhalers. I had thought it was in regard to rescue inhalers. But I tried to renew my steroid inhaler script yesterday and neither cvs nor Caremark has a record of me ever having a prescription. Yet I’ve used Flovent HFA for years. Was it Flovent HFA that you wrote about?

    I discovered that the manufacturer discontinued making it in January. No warning to me. And any record of it existing anywhere has apparently been deleted.

    For my BCBS PDP. Name brands would cost in the vicinity of $600 for a 30 supply. Generic is $63 per month.

    Gotta love our healthcare

  18. I know milder times are ahead.

    I was outside with the dog.

    It’s winter cold, with the help being the February sun.

    But the air is crisp and very cold.

  21. The 8 snowflakes have been removed from the front of the BPL. A sure sign that winter is now “officially” over for the city of Boston?

    I hope next Christmas they go back to the wreaths.

    1. Me, too.

      I’m going to start a petition next fall. I’m serious. It may be weird for a Cohen (my last name) to request that Christmas wreaths be placed on the BPL building, but I’m going to do it. I’m also going to ask for the Hanukkah menorah to be brought back to Copley Square. I didn’t see it this year. Nothing about a Christmas wreath offends me. And I’m sorry to say that if it does offend someone, well, I think that person has bigger problems than the sight of a Christmas wreath.

      1. I will sign and support your petition. One of my saddest memories goes back to third and fourth grade. We had music at our desks. In December we would sing Christmas songs. Belmont has a large Jewish population and many of my friends were Jewish. It made me really sad that we didn’t sing songs associated with Hunakkah

    1. Thank you. I had misunderstood at the time about which you were writing about. I don’t use the Flovent very much. But still the cost is ridiculous

  26. Nice day! Got to down to 11 at my house this morning. Up to 36, but feels warmer with bright, uncluttered sun.

    You all know how I love diurnal days. Not quite September 2, 20, 2017 when it was 36 in the morning and 80 in the afternoon which set us off on a 4 day stretch capping with 92 at my house. Last 10 days of September 2017 featured 9 days above 74 degrees. I looked at Norwood, it was very similar. I look less and less at Boston anymore, as it is not a good indicator of the actual weather being experienced by most in SNE.

    Moral – Summer can happen in September, winter can happen in March.

    Also, stop grasping to these model runs that show winter or summer (not quite, but you know what I mean) today’s showing 60 in 8 days is no more valid than the one showing 20 and 20″ of snow 18 days ago…and of course ignore the online weather weenies who constantly predict extreme. Remember how extreme post February 15th was going to be?? Yeah, pretty extreme….

  27. Had to take the trash out. Did it ever warm up nicely.
    And the wind has backed off. Up to 37 here and what a beautiful day!!!!

    1. Elevations are not spectacular which leads to the lower seasonal snowfalls.

      Original Resort Opening: 1924
      Elevations
      8,200 feet. East Mountain Peak
      6,600 feet. East Mountain Base
      8,000 feet. West Mountain Peak
      7,000 feet. West Mountain Base
      7,800 feet North Mountain Peak
      7,200 feet. North Mountain Base
      6,000 feet. Wrightwood, CA

      Vertical Rise: 1,600 feet
      Skiable Terrain: 290 acres
      Permit Terrain: 515 acres
      Average Annual Snowfall: 117 inches (23 yr average)
      Average Length of Season: Early November – Late April

      At that latitude, really need elevations of 10-12 thousand feet.

      But, hey when there is snow it sure looks great!!

      Mt. Baldy has a bit more elevation, but I have yet to see a live web cam for that location.

      Main chair:

      Base Elevation 7520ft
      Top Elevation 8600ft

  29. Too add to recent positive health-related news, while still a very slow process of recovery, today my mom is at her most energetic since the first day of this month (the day before I sent her to the hospital). Also more positive-sounding than I have heard her. The real wait is for her oxygen level to improve (as her lungs clear, post-pneumonia). It’s happening … slowly … but it’s happening.

    We’re not quite to the point of talking about a release day and return home yet, but I don’t think it’s that far over the horizon. 🙂

    Hey JMA! Thanks for checking in. Everything you said, of course I agree with. 🙂

    I have nothing else to add about the weather at this point. My discussion above stands with no changes. I know the guidance is still slower than my Friday forecast is for the wet weather’s departure, but we’ll see. For now I’m leaving that timing alone.

  30. This has been a favorite song of mine since the end of the 1980s. It’s a track buried very deep (next to last song on the album and not released as a single in the US) in Mike + The Mechanics second album, “The Living Years”.

    The song features the lead vocal of Paul Young (no, not that Paul Young, a different Paul Young, who sang on 3 M+TM albums, sharing lead vocal duties with Paul Carrack). Also featured in the song are Mike Rutherford from Genesis on guitar as well as bass synth programming, Peter Van Hook on drums, and Adrian Lee on keyboards.

    The song: “Beautiful Day”. A very uplifting tune.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm16QyKtg_A

    1. Nice tune. Not sure I had ever heard this song. Thanks

      The drums sound like a drum machine. Not your ordinary drumming, at least that’s how it sounds to me. 🙂

      1. Believe it or not the drums were performed by a human, on a drum set (though electronic drums aka “syndrums” were part of the mix, but played by hand, not programmed) by Peter Van Hooke.

        I saw them live, and Peter’s drumming was spot-on. I can spot faking, as a drummer, and he was definitely not faking anything. 🙂

        He also was a member of Van Morrison’s touring band. 🙂

        1. Awesome. I figured that it might be that way. Drums sounded way cool.

          Never saw them.

          Although I always like Mike and the Mechanics.

            1. Hard to say for me, because I’ve seen so many bands and so many drummers, but some of the stand-outs I’ve seen include:

              Carl Palmer (Emerson Lake & Palmer)
              Victor DeLorenzo (Violent Femmes)
              Gary Brurke (Joe Jackson, late 1980s)
              Dennis Chambers (Steely Dan, 1990s)
              Keith Carlock (Steely Dan, 2000s)
              Shannon Forrest (Toto, 2000s)
              Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies)
              Paulina Villarreal (The Warning)
              Arejay Hale (Halestorm)

                1. Yes a classic!
                  I loved the drum solo from the original recording and then another live one that a friend of mine had. 🙂

  34. WBZ radio make boo-boo. They advertise weekend warm-up to the 50s.

    Nope: Weekend chill-down to the 30s Saturday, maybe back to 40 Sunday. No 50s.

    Somebody must have been handed bad info………

    1. Makes no sense for the Cape as the cold spots compared to the distant interior. Could there be a thermometer malfunction?

      1. It makes perfect sense, actually. Both of those spots were clear with completely calm wind for the longest time during the evening up to that point. The thermometers were correct.

        Martha’s Vineyard airport is a known cold spot. It’s located dead center on the island and in a valley. If there’s no wind, they radiate efficiently and are often a cold spot in that region. In last night’s case, they were a cold spot (with Falmouth) in all of southeastern New England.

        I’ve observed this quite a few times over the years.

        In fact, as of 6 a.m. the perfect example is still apparent: Martha’s Vineyard, clear, calm, 12 degrees, dew point 9. Boston has a north wind at 7 MPH and is 26 with a dew point of 17. Both obs are correct.

        1. Let’s expand that even more. With MVY at 12 with dp 9, just across the sound at Nantucket, they are 25 with a dew point of 19, but have some wind. Yes, it can vary that much over a short distance. Weather is not linear, and it’s not uniform, quite a lot of the time.

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