Saturday April 6 2024 Forecast (8:37AM)

86 Comments

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 6-10)

A low pressure circulation will continue to impact our region this weekend. Early this morning it is producing some scattered snow and rain showers in our region which will depart southward soon, but it has another slap in store for us later today – a swath of rain showers that will wheel down via Maine. That exits tonight, but some additional clouds hang around into Sunday before we see a genuine clearing trend by Sunday night. This happens as the low is nudged eastward and away from our region by a narrow but well-timed ridge of high pressure moving in from the west, just at the right time to deliver us a mainly clear sky for a solar eclipse Monday. For Boston, a 93% sun coverage will peak at 3:29 p.m. EDT with the full eclipse time frame running from 2:16 p.m. to 4:39 p.m. There are slight variations in the coverage and precise timing depending on your location. The path of totality, as you know, is across far northern New England. Visit this link for more information where you can look up details for any location: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8 (I’ll post a clickable version in the comments.)

Once we are beyond this spectacle and are enduring post-eclipse traffic issues, we’ll start to see high clouds fanning in from the west ahead of our next trough of low pressure. But this is going to take a while to impact us more directly, so that the weather on Tuesday looks quite nice as well. But late Monday, when I’m making my return trip from VT where I’ll have been in the path of totality, I’ll be chased by a dry cold frontal boundary that will pass by our area that night and turn our light northwesterly Monday breeze into a north northeast breeze on Tuesday, which then shifts more to the east in the afternoon as high pressure from Canada noses in our direction. This will coincide with the Red Sox home opener Tuesday afternoon. The one person I know going to that game doesn’t need my advice to dress for a cooling wind. At least the weather is going to be dry, which in recent time is a miracle for any outdoor event it seems! But our luck runs out for midweek when unsettled weather does finally arrive from the west. But this time we’ll be talking about just rain, and nothing frozen. By Wednesday a warm front will be moving in, but may be stuck just to our south, so my early leaning is a chilly, raw day, with at least some light rain/drizzle under an overcast sky. Thank goodness that isn’t coming two days sooner!

TODAY: Intervals of sun possible until midday with otherwise dominant clouds, then a thicker cloud cover thereafter. Early-day rain/snow showers around, a break, then more widespread rain showers later in the day, favoring the eastern half of the region (southeastern NH, eastern MA, RI). Highs 41-48. Wind NW 5-15 MPH with higher gusts.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. An evening shower of rain and/or snow possible. Lows 33-40. Wind NNW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny. Chance of a passing rain shower. Highs 45-52. Wind N 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 33-40. Wind NW up to 10 MPH.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 54-61 (you may note a slight temperature drop for about 1/2 hour either side of the eclipse maximum). Wind NW up to 10 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: High clouds arrive. Lows 35-42. Wind NW to N 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 51-58, coolest at north-facing and east-facing shores. Wind NNE 5-15 MPH shifting to E.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Lows 41-48. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Cloudy. Drizzle likely. Light rain possible. Patchy fog forming. Temperatures steady 41-48. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 11-15)

Low pressure traveling northwest of our region will finally drag a warm front through April 11 into April 12 putting us in a mild but rain showery southerly air flow. Strong cold front then travels through the region by later April 12 with heavier showers and even a chance for thunderstorms. Extended weekend April 13-15 should feature a variety of weather, based on current projected timing and use of most reliable medium range guidance. Saturday (13) would be windy/chilly with clouds and a few showers of rain maybe even some frozen stuff to the north. Sunday (14) features fair and milder weather, which continues for Monday (15) – aka Marathon Monday and a very popular midday Red Sox home game. Could we luck out again with good weather? Maybe some clouds moving in. But now we’re talking about day 10 and low confidence so check back often!

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 16-20)

Another dive into cool / unsettled weather is expected early in the period, but this should be followed by another drier/milder stretch later on.

86 thoughts on “Saturday April 6 2024 Forecast (8:37AM)”

  2. Thank you TK!
    Just played the peanuts / Boston video you posted yesterday, so awesome, what a way to get you motivated and kick off a weekend. Thanks for sharing that with us, I’ve always been a fan of both.

    1. That storm was awesome just before Easter. it warmed up a day or 2 after, we made a bunny snownan for my 4 tearcold son at the time.

      That was a COLD storm, powder all the way.

      1. If I am remember from what I have heard about that storm temperatures were in the 20s for that storm making it a powdery snow.

    2. I do remember this one. My oldest was not quite two. Mac and I took her on several fun sled walks

  5. Thanks JJ for the history! Since you covered the 1982 April blizzard I will cover this not-as-local event from April 6 1888, via the Weather Guide Calendar.

    Weather observations today are missing some eloquence. The Michigan Weather Service included the report of the Adrian storm, as written in the Daily Times, which said: “Probably never in the recollection of the oldest inhabitant has so much rain fallen in so short a time. The gutters . . . filled to overflowing . . . streets completely whitened with mass of hailstones . . . sidewalks . . . carried away by flood . . . heavy wooden covers of sewer manholes deposited in all sorts of places . . . On the other hand, the rain cleaned up our streets for us . . . took the winter’s frost out of the ground, presenting Miss Spring fairly to us!”

    The author of those words is not listed.

    1. Excellent. Thank you. The comments indicate it may have actually been the flemington fault. This will be interesting to follow. I found this of interest. I always thought it the makeup of our earth layers vs CA’s and suspect thst is true too but still,….

      -Despite the rarity of strong earthquakes in this part of the country, when they do occur, the areas affected by them are, on average, ten times larger than western U.S. events of the same magnitude

      -The cooler rocks in the Northeast U.S. contribute to the seismic energy propagating up to ten times further than in the warmer rocks of California

  8. Looks like my guess of 23 inches of seasonal snowfall might be a good guess we are at 21 inches down here near PVD.

    1. 2 inches of snow coming on April 20 to bring you to 23. I got that from a weather app. … and I’m also just kidding. 🙂

    2. I only have you for 23 at PVD. I’m guessing that is what you are referring to. I don’t have its total

  10. Are next week’s rains more of the same or less impactful storms? Realize it is early but would love to give water some time recede. Thanks.

    1. There could be some moderate to heavy rainfall, but it’s going to be spread out over 3 calendar days.

  12. Dec-Mar all had positive temp anomalies at Logan.

    April so far ….. -2.5F

    Early spring in New England is the universe’s worst creation.

      1. That one’s not in my wheel house, but your musical taste encompasses so much more than mine. 🙂 🙂

    2. Now that is an interesting video!!! Way cool and the tune is awesome as well! Thank you. Just save this one. 🙂

  17. Thanks, TK

    WBZ is reporting that the Nashua and Leicester school districts are closed on Monday. I am assuming because of the eclipse.

    I have read that some school districts have switched teacher half days to Monday, April 8 so the kiddos are home before the solar event.

    TK, do you think puffy clouds will pop up Monday afternoon?

    Red Sox are in a first place tie with the Yanks!!!

    1. Not sure if you saw my post yesterday. Massachusetts gave permission to all schools to have a half day. Tom listed the only one he was aware of that opted for half day. I know uxbridge SC chose not to. I don’t know about sutton.

      IMO it is a bit risky. The eclipse happens as many kids are leaving school. Certainly a parent has the choice. I’d keep my kids home if only to experience it with them.

      1. My guess is that, if a school district hasn’t called a half-day or full-day by now, they won’t. The uproar of families scrambling to get care for Monday at the last minute would be great!!!

        1. I’m sure if would be. I view days where kids are home a bit differently but then everyone is entitled to think differently. It’s what makes the world go round.

    2. No, they are closing it because of a freak blizzard coming that no models had until just now. Oh yeah, belated April Fool!

      Eclipse for sure. I like that many are getting a chance to see this, whether in or not in the path of totality.

      I don’t think we’ll have any cumulus formation on Monday outside of some isolated ones from the Northeast Kingdom eastward through Coos County NH and into Maine. This would be weak orographic lift working on some leftover low level moisture from earlier in the morning just strong enough to overcome the stability in place.

      It’s really a band of high clouds that will be approaching from the west that may send a thinning veil into part of the sky. I think this will be battling dry air and also struggling to exist.

      This eclipse appears to be occurring in a perfect window of time for New England.

      2. I remember the one in 1963…might have been July. We had a membership at Oakley CC. I was at the pool daily. They did close the pool sent us all home. No idea if they closed the course. But if they had eclipse glssses then, I was not aware.

  18. In case you aren’t aware, Mark Everett of the Eels had a very interesting father, Hugh Everett III. In his physics PhD thesis, Hugh proposed what is now known as the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Everett_III

    This is quite a book about Hugh titled “The Many Worlds of Hugh Everett III” and subtitled “Multiple Universes, Mutual Assured Destruction, and the Meltdown of a Nuclear Family”
    https://www.amazon.com/Many-Worlds-Hugh-Everett-III/dp/0199552274

    1. I knew a little bit about his father, but not much. I’ll definitely look into these. Thank you. 🙂

      I also enjoy Mark Oliver Everett’s solo work which came before Eels and is under the name “E”. He made 2 albums, “A Man Called E” which contained the FM radio track “Hello Cruel World”, and an album called “Broken Toy Shop”.

      In 2002, he “secretly” created another artist called M.C. Honky with one album called “I Am The Messiah” which is “out there” for lack of a better phrase. I love that album. The reason I say secretly is because he’s never openly admitted to being MC Honky, but this artist has been the opening act for Eels shows as a disguised DJ playing the material from the album. And since Mark has gone by “E” as a nickname, us fans figured out that since “Honky” is also a name that means “Square”, that M.C. Honky just has to be E, because E = M.C. Squared. 😉

      We solved your riddle, Mark! 😉

  19. What I remember of that April 1982 blizzard was actually the day prior to it. The skies were deep blue along with blustery winds. 🙂

    2. I actually have an audio recording of WHDH-AM radio from that afternoon during their news and weather. I still remember the anchor, I think Vin Maloney, saying “…and the wind is gusting closer to 40, at times…”

      I also have some audio recording of NOAA Weather Radio the same day. 🙂

  20. Powder Blizzard is another thing I have heard mentioned about the April 1982 Blizzard as the snow was powdery for the time of year it happened.

    1. Logan recorded 13.3 inches of snow from that storm. High temp on April 6 was 36 at midnight then it fell to the 20s and stayed there.

      April 7, low temp 16, high temp 25. Temp departure for the day was -24.9. 🙂

        1. This low pressure area is actually giving us our shot at clear sky for Monday’s eclipse. 🙂

  24. So far today’s info continues to keep me very optimistic about Monday’s sky for eclipse viewing. A few strips of high clouds (maybe a thinning veil) will enter far northwestern New England during or shortly after the event. I do not anticipate this to be a factor in the view all the way back into Upstate NY.

    1. Your expectation of good viewing conditions for upstate NY bodes well for my son and his friends. They’re heading for a spot in Canada just north of the VT border

  26. Thanks TK! I am ok with this weather as long as Monday is mostly sunny for eclipse. However it seems it will be awhile before my wish for a sunny Friday through Sunday occurs.

  27. Nice rain squall at Woburn but there might be a few graupels sneaking in now. And this thing has some power to it. The wind out of the N which was modest for a while is really whipping this stuff sideways. It’s like a cold version of a spiral band.

  28. 18z info is coming in and continuing the optimistic sky condition depiction for the lunar-aided solar visual spectacle.

  29. A late thanks to you, TK.

    We went out to catch a bite and watch the first NCAA basketball game earlier this evening. The place was packed, so we were seated outside with (sort of) heaters. It was okay for a while until that strong wind came up and blew drizzle sideways at us. We bailed out when the Purdue lead got to 12, and when we got to the car, its thermometer read 36 degrees. A final four to remember, for sure.

    1. Both women’s games and both men’s games were fun to watch.
      I’ll see the women’s championship tomorrow afternoon, and I’m going to DVR the men’s game because I have no idea how many hours it’ll take me to get home on Monday from Vermont. Although I can always put it on in the car if I’m still on the road at that time…

  31. Sad to leave England. Good lord, the Atlantic is large. 3200 miles is still depressingly far, especially for someone who cannot stand flying.

    Had a good visit. Hope to be back in the fall for a longer period.

  32. TK – With today’s technology, is there any chance that you could share that WHDH and/or NOAA audio from 1982 with us?

    1. I can, but it’s going to take a little time. It’s part of a giant digitizing project I have with audio / visual recordings from multiple sources taken by multiple people (much of it my father and myself).

      I’ve been wanting to start this project sooner but other things have pushed it back. Hopefully very soon. In the mean time I may be able to do some temporary snippets from some of the sources. Stay tuned…

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