Happy Earth Day! Take care of our world. It’s the only one we have!
DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 22-26)
The mainly fair weather of the last few days becomes much less fair and increasingly foul this weekend in response to an approaching low pressure trough. The evolution of this feature over the coming days will scream “springtime!” and not meaning the kind of weather where you are thinking sunshine, warm air, and flowers. As low pressure both surface and aloft move into the Great Lakes region during the course of this weekend, first we just see lots of cloudiness but no precipitation during the day today. As an occluded front approaches the region and slows down tonight through Sunday, our rain chances go up, in the form of isolated to scattered showers tonight, then a more general ribbon of showery rain with even the potential for some embedded thunderstorms on Sunday. With still some slow eastward movement of the feature, the more widespread and heaviest activity will occur along a fairly narrow axis that will shift to allow a tapering off of the activity slowly from west to east during the afternoon and early evening. But for all intents and purposes, Sunday can be considered a “wash-out”, as the term goes. A weak low pressure area will form on the boundary as it is crossing the region, and winds that are blowing out of the east on Sunday with some moderate gusts along the coast will become lighter and more variable and it is during Sunday night when we may see some foggy weather across the region. During the first few days of the coming week, cut off upper level low pressure will drift eastward from the Great Lakes through the Northeast while surface low pressure migrates toward the Gulf of Maine then redevelops further east and north with time. This weather pattern is unsettled and cool, with a daily chance of showers – greatest chance Monday then gradually decreasing each day after.
TODAY: Mainly cloudy – a brief break of sun is possible in a few locations. Highs 53-60 coastal plain, 60-67 well inland. Wind SE 5-15 MPH.
TONIGHT: Cloudy. Isolated to scattered showers during the evening. Scattered to numerous showers arriving from west to east later at night. Lows 45-52. Wind SE-E 5-15 MPH, higher gusts along the coast by dawn.
SUNDAY: Overcast. Widespread showers and a slight chance of thunder, gradually tapering off from west to east during the course of the afternoon. Highs 48-55. Wind E 5-15 MPH, gusts 20-25 MPH in coastal areas.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Areas of fog/drizzle. Chance of showers. Lows 45-52. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.
MONDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Highs 50-57. Wind N 5-15 MPH.
MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Lows 43-50. Wind N-NW 5-15 MPH.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Highs 51-58. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Chance of a shower. Lows 42-49. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Chance of a shower. Highs 52-59. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 27 – MAY 1)
Upper level low pressure’s influence remains evident with cool weather and still some occasional cloud cover and a remote shower chance April 27, then generally dry weather, cool April 28, warmer April 29 as upper level low pressure moves away and a flat ridge of high pressure aloft moves in. We’ll then see the next low pressure trough approach later in the period with the threat of a return to unsettled and cooler weather once again – timing uncertain this far in advance.
DAYS 11-15 (MAY 2-6)
The weather pattern looks like it will remain trough-dominated with occasional unsettled weather and temperatures generally below normal.