Memorial Day Weekend Update

126 Comments

7:45AM

Bringing things up-to-date as of Sunday morning…

Upper level low pressure centered to the east, still spinning spokes of energy southward across New England. Though this departs by Memorial Day, we remain on the northwest flow side (eastern side) of a ridge of high pressure through the early part of the coming week. Today will be somewhat similar to yesterday with lots of clouds, some sun, but a chance of pop up showers and thunderstorms. The greatest chance for activity today will be away from the coast (especially interior NH and MA) where it will be most unstable. Though we initially get into a warmer westerly flow for the holiday itself, a disturbance and frontal system over northern New England will be close enough that it may try to send a few showers and thunderstorms toward southern New England, but the majority of the area will remain dry for the holiday with most of the action to the north and a better chance of some pushing southward at night. Finally, the front to the north will push back to the south as high pressure builds in eastern Canada, and this will quickly cool it down again during Tuesday and into Wednesday. A change from the previous outlook is to allow some drier air to eliminate the chance of showers by later Tuesday and continue it rain-free on Wednesday. The end of the week will see a warm up Thursday-Friday, but Friday may end up with a round of showers and thunderstorms as another front approaches. As long as things keep moving, we’d see drier and cooler air for the final day of May next Saturday.

Southeastern New England Forecast…

TODAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny. Isolated to scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms, especially away from eastern coastal areas. Any storms that form may produce small hail in isolated locations. Highs from 60 coastal areas to 70 well inland. Wind variable up to 10 MPH with sea breezes.

TONIGHT: Mostly to partly cloudy. Lingering isolated showers mainly inland areas early. Patchy fog. Lows in the 50s. Wind light variable to W.

MONDAY – MEMORIAL DAY: Partly cloudy to mostly sunny. Slight risk of isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs from the 60s Cape Cod and South Coast to 80-85 much of interior MA and southern NH, 70s most of the east coastal plain. Wind W increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

MONDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the 60s. wind W 10-20 MPH.

TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny with a chance of showers during the morning. Partly to mostly cloudy in the afternoon. Highs 70-75 except 60s some coastal areas by midday then falling through the 60s all areas to upper 50s eastern coastal areas later. Wind W 10-20 MPH shifting to NE from north to south across the region.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. Low 50. High 64.

THURSDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 53. High 72.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers/thunderstorms. Low 60. High 76.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Low 55. High 65.

126 thoughts on “Memorial Day Weekend Update”

  1. Quiz posted by Longshot on previous blog this morning…

    Today’s AccuWeather Trivia Quiz.

    How much hotter is (the air around) lightning versus the surface of the sun?
    A. Two times hotter
    B. Five times hotter
    C. Ten times hotter
    D. Twenty times hotter

    Answer later today.

      2. That doesn’t help.

        Is that the temperature of the lightning? or the Sun?

        Still have no clue at all.

  2. Will most of the storms today be focused from metrowest to Springfield? It seems everytime storms are focused along the sea breeze the south shore misses the action.

    1. West of I-95, and if my thinking is right, 495 and westward is your best shot today.

  3. Thanks TK.
    Coastal I would favor metrowest to Springfield for the possiblity of thunderstorm development. I would not be surprised if there are a few strong storms in that area but I don’t see a severe weather outbreak.
    Thunderstorm Impact Scale.
    Hail – Low
    Wind – Low
    Flooding – Low

  4. Today’s second AccuWeather TriviaQuiz. (I think I learned this in elementary school.)

    To figure the distance from lightning in miles count the seconds from flash to thunder and then …
    A. Add 5
    B. Multiply by 5
    C. Subtract 5
    D. Divide by 5

    Answer later today

        1. I’m still asleep. I don’t wake up until well after Noon, no
          matter what time I actually get up.

  7. Thanks tk, sunny and temps in the upper 60’s, waterpark down the road for kids, gonna be home tonight, hopefully we missed the cloudy showery weather. Hope everyone’s having a good day 🙂

    1. Hasn’t been too bad. Only a couple bands of showers yesterday morning, and 2 more north to south lines last evening. Most of the day was dry with variable clouds. Today is starting cloudy in eastern areas, sunnier to the west. The areas sunnier now will pop storms later, while the areas cloudiest now will be nicest later, but with a little cooling from ocean wind.

      Taste of summer tomorrow most of the region. Front stays to the north until early Tuesday.

  9. From NWS this morning:

    AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
    751 AM EDT SUN MAY 25 2014

    .SYNOPSIS…
    A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON… WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MAINLY DRY…BUT BREEZY AND WARM MEMORIAL DAY.

    Barry has the threat mainly inland.

      1. From NWS

        A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon. Please share this with your friends and family. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

  14. Thanks, TK.

    Sun just came out in Sudbury. It was very cool, damp, raw and sprinkling out earlier. It is 56 degrees out now – I expect it to start warming up a bit as the sun goes to work.

    That band of showers that came through last evening were not that heavy in Sudbury. But the sky was beautiful. It went from sunny to dark clouds and as the clouds departed, off to the northwest, the sky was orange. It was the sunset – and I think as TK said in an earlier post, some areas might have seen rainbows. Since we moved to Sudbury, I have yet to see a rainbow. Our home has a lot of trees around. But when we lived in Framingham, we lived in a 6th floor apartment w/a marvelous view to the south, east and west and we saw rainbows often. I am hoping for a non-severe thunderstorm to track today – but brief and light enough not to ruin anyone’s plans or to cause damage. Tomorrow looks to be a taste of summer. I still haven’t taken out my summer clothes yet! I am waiting for it to be a little more consistently warmer. Looks like I have a long wait for that, at this point.

  15. Barry is advertising 90 for next Monday June 2nd.

    TK – Is this the beginnings of a HHH pattern setting up?

    2. It will be a shot of warm air similar to what is coming tomorrow, but a little stronger as the ridge will be stronger. It’s not a “new” pattern, but the brief warm shot in the current pattern. We drop right back after that. Not ready to dive into the deeper Summer pattern yet. After all, we are only just beyond the mid point of astronomical Spring. 🙂

    1. Not impressive, but it is there. Also lifted index is pretty good like -3 or -4.
      Also, very cold aloft with good 0-6km shear. Add it all up, and severe is
      possible.

    1. Is it sunny where you are OS? You could clip 70 IF the sun remains out over the next two hours.

  21. Heavy rain and a couple cracks of Thunder in Sterling. That’s what you’ll get today if the sun comes out….

  22. Beautiful here in North Smithfrield RI. Mostly sunny skies with just a few cumulous clouds dotting the sky.

  23. Been plenty of sunshine in plainville for at least a couple hours now, wonder if we see any action this far east this afternoon

  24. Severe tstorm warning for southern Worcester County. Not really surprised. It’s very unstable out there. It won’t be widespread, but some of the storms will be strong to briefly severe today. Hail, local wind damage.

  25. 66 even here and bright and sunny but with East wind. I think it prevents us
    reaching 70. We shall see.

  27. 68 and sunny here. Hoping for something to track. I saw the warning by Worcester TK. It seems about to expire although the cell looks fairly potent still.

    1. North Smithfield’s sky looking ominous in northern RI but it appears the brunt of the cell stays to our west as it slowly degrades.

  28. The flow from the ocean is increasing a little bit and the stability is also increasing all the way out into the 495 belt. Going to be really hard to get anything into eastern MA now.

    1. Here in JP east wind is here, but it’s not too bad. Temp up to 66.9. Not sure
      it goes up any more.

      Beautiful day out there. I just came in from some errands. Driving on a hill
      I could see the clouds to the West AND the low cloud bank out on the Water
      to the East. Freaky.

      😀

  29. been a steady 62 degrees since about 9am. though beutiful out not a single cloud in the sky 🙂
    Solar cover over the pool right now to heat up the pool
    chemicals all balanced, crystal clear, its ready to go if someone wants to but its only 52 degrees lol
    Just need 3 days of sun and temperatures over 65 to get the temperature of the pool over 65

  34. Took a quick nap and the map really lit up. I’m pretending I didn’t read your comment about being hard to move the storms in this way TK 😉

  36. Wind was out of the NW awhile ago – now out of S. Storms were moving N to S earlier; now they seem to be moving northwest to southeast. Does that mean the marine flow might be lessening around metrowest areas?

  37. When we had the new grill discussion a bit ago, did anyone get a new weber? I am interested in a basic weber and wondered if anyone did what model. Ours is 11 years old and it is probably time to think about it.

  38. Yes I did the webber genisis e310 three burner grill . It’s a tank and heats up to 500 degrees in minutes. I only used it twice so far. $699 grill but it should last years. Lots of money but believe me they last.

    1. Amazing the difference in price. We paid 399 11 years ago for same level. But you are correct. It will last years. We have had all brands and never had one last as this did. We use it year round. Thanks John and enjoy yours 🙂

  39. I think I can, I think I can…. 67.1 I think I can I think I can…..
    probably not.

  40. Vicki,

    That cell out around Leominster looks like it may track at least towards your
    neck of the woods. 😀

  42. Uhhh – in Sudbury the sky is getting dark to the Northwest.

    Vicki – you are right. The wind seemed to shift around here quickly. I don’t know if we will get anything – if it will stay to the west or come over us.

  43. I think we are hearing thunder here. The sun is in and out. Doppler shows rain along Rte. 2.

    1. We will be eating our dinner in about 25 mins. or so – I bet it pours and thunders then! That seems to happen a lot to us – prob’ly ’cause we tend to eat dinner early unless we eat out w/friends.

        1. 60 % chance of HAIL <.5 inch

          Mean motion from 326 degrees or about dead on to your
          location.

          W0 55 dBZ 21,000 ft. 19 kg/m² 20% chance 60% chance <0.50 in. 17 knots NW (326)

            1. I watched it die. I could tell it wasn’t coming here anyway. After 35 years same spot it gets easier to know. But I can always hope

              1. Clarification. I do not now nor do I ever want a BIG storm. There is nothing to be happy about with storms that are destructive. IMHO the place to live for a storm that is enjoyable but not destructive is New England.

                1. Then you r in the right spot. As my wife says she farts louder than these storms, and she’s only 125lbs lol 🙂 sorry good day 🙂

  49. In Sudbury all we got was a light shower – watched how pretty the sky changed as we ate our dinner. Looked more ominous than it turned out.

  50. Son played lake of isles golf course in CT and sent me a video of hail. I don’t know how to post. He said the gardens that were mulch were solid white

      1. N1 66 dBZ 23,000 ft. 45 kg/m² 100% chance 100% chance 1.75 in. 16 knots N (356)

        1.75 inch diameter hail with that!!

        1. Thanks OS. Amazing hail with these storms. I know TK said hail is measurable precip but waiting for a clarification on that

  53. Waterpark was awesome and it was only 15 min’s away from where we are. Anyway be back in town late tonight. Low 80’s here sunny

    Also saw 2 Patriots fans on the golf course in NC, one had a Grogan jersey and a Brady jersey which I thought was interesting. Looks like a nice day tommorrow with highs in the 80’s 🙂 good day everyone 🙂

    1. Glad you had a nice getaway. Mac has spent a lot of time in Charlotte. He has lots of family there…..in addition to cousins still there he had an aunt and uncle sadly gone but who I absolutely adored. We have been many times. Is that where you will be next winter?

      1. I believe so, I love New England, it will be tough for me to leave even during winter, believe it or not lol 🙂

  54. Answers to today’s AccuWeather Trivia Quizzes.

    How much hotter is (the air around) lightning versus the surface of the sun?
    A. Two times hotter
    B. Five times hotter
    C. Ten times hotter
    D. Twenty times hotter

    The answer is B, five times hotter.

    To figure the distance from lightning in miles count the seconds from flash to thunder and then …
    A. Add 5
    B. Multiply by 5
    C. Subtract 5
    D. Divide by 5

    The answer is D, divide by 5.

    1. Thanks Longshot. I have no idea what I said to the first as it was a guess. I did know the second. I love double quizzes.

      1. TK gave the best hint for the 1st quiz. the air around a lightning strike can be between 40-50,000 degrees whereas the sun’s surface is 10,000 degrees.

        1. I didn’t see that one. I did see his hint for the second but, as I told him, I learned to do that as a child and now my grands count with me 🙂

  55. That tstorm warning just north of us keeps shifting south. I figure it’ll either slip just west of us or weaken as the sun sets. But it is close so keeping my fingers crossed

      1. Sky to west has that yellow look. Will see if it holds together. And hmmmm I’m talking to myself here

  56. Storms behaved as expected today. They pushed the limits of strong/severe, but were isolated and did not sustain themselves for very long. They moved to the south and stayed away from the coast. Not sure why some people were going for them closer to the coast. I thought today was a lock for less activity than yesterday and drier further east. It was part of the step-by-step improvement…which is about to be delayed due to a more active warm front and morning showers for Memorial Day. Feeling like Summer most areas by afternoon though.

    But the bad news is, it doesn’t last.

Comments are closed.