DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 12-16)

A wet & wild start to your Friday as a cold front moves across the region and continues to trigger showers and thunderstorms with downpours. Watch for poor drainage flooding during to shortly after this event, which will be on its way out later this morning to midday from southwest to northeast. Strong wind gusts are also an issue, especially in eastern coastal areas, where some tree damage is likely with resultant power outage potential. We’ll “dry slot” for the afternoon with a southwest wind behind the front. A secondary trough will swing through from west to east this evening with a possible additional rain shower, and this will lead a shot of cooler air into the region which will be with us through Saturday on a gusty westerly wind behind low pressure in eastern Canada. Upper level low pressure / cold air aloft can trigger a few diurnal rain showers (snow showers hang back in the mountains to our west and north where it’s cold enough) but the vast majority of Saturday will be dry. The wind will relax Saturday night and Sunday as we lose the direct influence of the Canadian low, but another disturbance coming around the base of the upper low will return more clouds and a wet weather chance to us Sunday afternoon and evening. It still looks like later in the day and further south stands a better chance of the wet weather, but recent short-range guidance trends have edged this system a bit further north, so I’m just including the chance of rain showers for all of the region. Either way, this system will be hauling and out of here before dawn on Monday, Patriots Day. If you are attending early morning activities in Lexington / Concord, it won’t be raining, but be aware that the ground is quite muddy due to plentiful recent precipitation. Weather will be great for spectators of the Boston Marathon but perhaps a bit warm for the liking of some race participants, and of course the traditional Red Sox game will not face any weather-related issues. Fair weather holds with high pressure nearby on Tuesday, but the high center slips eastward enough that we can warm up even more over Monday, except typical cooler coastal areas.

TODAY: Cloudy with rain showers, some heavy including the chance of thunderstorms, ending from west to east midday-afternoon. Breaking clouds later but an additional rain shower may cross central MA and southwestern NH mid afternoon. Highs 58-65, except cooler South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH except 20-30 MPH South Coast, higher gusts, shifting to SW later in the day.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. A few passing rain showers likely. Lows 40-47. Wind SW 15-25 MPH shifting to W.

SATURDAY: Lots of clouds / intervals of sun. An additional passing rain shower possible. Highs 50-57. Wind W 15-25 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Decreasing clouds. Lows 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Sun dominant through midday. Clouds return in the afternoon including rain shower chances from west to east by later in the day. Highs 57-64. Wind W 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with rain showers likely during the evening. Partly cloudy overnight. Lows 48-55. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 61-68. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 45-52. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs 65-72 inland, 57-64 coast but turning cooler midday on. Wind variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breeze developing.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 17-21)

Unsettled and cooler weather may trend milder/warmer toward mid period depending on low pressure movement and its attendant frontal boundaries. Showery episode then leads to drier weather at the end of the period when a shot of colder air is due.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 22-26)

Another unsettled/chilly stretch may open this period followed by improvement and warming again as the volatile spring pattern continues.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 11-15)

A large low pressure area will move into the Great Lakes and do a cyclonic loop there and over adjacent southern Canada before it tracks through eastern Canada over the next few days. Its warm front will cross our region today with a swath of rain moving through. We’ll get into a rain showery pattern in the warm sector this evening into Friday morning, some of them heavy, until a cold front sweeps through and introduces a dry slot during Friday afternoon. As the low tracks more to the east, passing to our north, lobes of energy around it can help create additional rain showers Friday night and Saturday, but these will be rather quick and passing. A cooling trend arrives Friday night through Saturday as well. By Sunday, we’ll be in a milder westerly flow, but another disturbance coming along will throw more clouds back at us later in the day, but the greatest chance of seeing rain showers from this system will be to the south and west of Boston in the evening and at night, favoring areas closer to the South Coast, as the system will be shunting to the south around the base of a trough still to our east. This system will be beyond our region by Monday with fair weather expected for Patriots Day activities (early morning battle reenactments in Lexington / Concord, the Boston Marathon, and the Red Sox home game).

TODAY: Overcast. Areas of fog. Patchy drizzle morning. Rain late morning through early afternoon from southwest to northeast. Highs 48-55, coolest coastal areas. Wind N to E under 10 MPH, shifting to SE 5-15 MPH later.

TONIGHT: Cloudy. Rain showers likely. Temperatures rise into/through 50s but holding closer to 50 South Coast. Wind SE-S 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with rain showers, some heavy including the chance of thunderstorms, ending from west to east midday-afternoon. Breaking clouds later. Highs 58-65, except cooler South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH except 20-30 MPH South Coast, higher gusts, shifting to SW later in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. A few passing rain showers likely. Lows 40-47. Wind SW 15-25 MPH shifting to W.

SATURDAY: Lots of clouds / intervals of sun. An additional passing rain shower possible. Highs 50-57. Wind W 15-25 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind W 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy through midday. More clouds later. Highs 57-64. Wind W 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers, especially south and west of Boston. Lows 50-57. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 61-68. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 16-20)

Fair weather holds April 16. Unsettled / cooler weather April 17-18. Fair weather returns later in the period.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 21-25)

Unsettled weather and below normal temperatures early in the period. Brief fair weather mid period before more unsettled weather returns but this time with a milder trend.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 10-14)

A few adjustments to be made to the shorter range outlook as we head from mid week into the long weekend, but nothing major to change except today’s high temps, which will be considerably warmer than I had originally due to the lack of easterly wind, which I thought might be established sooner. A warm front is going to take a couple of days to approach from the south then pass through our region, not fully making it until later in the day on Thursday. Before that, a disturbance from the west will return clouds to our region today at the same time the front to the south is sending its own batch our way. The initial disturbance brings the region some rain showers this evening, that then move on. The warm front brings us drizzle and periodic light rain as an ocean wind becomes established ahead of it. Once that front passes by later Thursday we see a regionwide shift to a southerly wind, which then picks up in the warm sector. The low pressure area parenting that front also has an attendant cold front which will approach the region on Friday with heavier showers. Timing on these looks like the first 2/3 of the day before we get a dry slot and some partial clearing, mild air, but lots of wind. One more batch of showers may swing through with the actual front Friday night, and a secondary trough still has to pass by Saturday as upper level low pressure crosses the region. This will keep plenty of clouds around along with a passing rain shower chance, and a gusty wind, but cooler weather. This lifts out by Sunday though and a weak, flat ridge of high pressure passing to our south will provide an interlude of fair, milder, but breezy weather. Quickly following this is another disturbance that brings back more clouds and a few rain showers, maybe even an isolated thunderstorm, on Sunday night, as that particular disturbance looks pretty potent.

TODAY: Clouds return. Late-day or evening rain showers arrive west to east. Highs 55-62 but dropping back to the upper 40s along the coast midday on. Wind variable to E up to 10 MPH.

TONIGHT / THURSDAY: Cloudy. Drizzle and patchy fog. Periodic light rain. Temperatures fall into 40s. Wind E increasing to 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain showers likely. Temperature hold in 40s South Coast, rise to 50s elsewhere. Wind S 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with rain showers, some heavy, ending from west to east midday-afternoon. Breaking clouds later. Highs 58-65, except cooler South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH except 20-30 MPH South Coast, higher gusts, shifting to SW later in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. A few passing rain showers likely. Lows 40-47. Wind SW 15-25 MPH shifting to W.

SATURDAY: Lots of clouds / intervals of sun. An additional passing rain shower possible. Highs 50-57. Wind W 15-25 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind W 10-20 MPH.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny. Rain showers and a possible thunderstorm at night. Highs 57-64. Wind W 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 15-19)

Monday April 15 is a big day around these parts, being Patriots Day, Marathon Monday (and not Tax Day yet because it’s a holiday here!), and don’t forgot the traditional home Red Sox game with the late morning first pitch. At this time the weather looks great. Sunday night’s disturbance will exit early in the morning taking the rain shower chance with it. Looking for a sun/cloud mix and a westerly breeze, mild air with highs 60+ most areas. Runners of the marathon may find that forecast a little too warm for liking. Earlier I thought high pressure may have moved in enough to allow a sea breeze to develop, as we see many times during that race, but not to be. Beyond: Another round of unsettled weather due for the middle of next week that should clear out by late week, but timing / details uncertain.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 20-24)

Spring is often the most uncertain season for medium range forecasting. Right now the best guidance and pattern prediction tools indicate to me that we will be in a cooler and somewhat unsettled pattern heading into late April. Will keep an eye on this trend and weed out specific weather systems and their impacts as we get closer to this time.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 9-13)

I’m still kind of wrapping my head around my experience in northern VT yesterday, witnessing a total solar eclipse. I’ll share stories and a pic or two soon via the comments. But first, onto a quick outlook on our coming weather. No big changes in the short term. Today will feature fair weather but it’ll be cooler along the coast with high pressure to our north. A warm front will make a slow approach Wednesday with an overcast sky and eventually some light rainfall. This front will face a bit of a struggle but eventually will push through the region Thursday, a showery day with a warming trend from south to north. As low pressure tracks to our northwest and north, a cold front will move across the region from west to east Friday. Ahead of it, more mild and showery weather will occur. A wind shift will bring in drier air late Friday, with some clearing, but a trough rotating around the base of the low as it heads for eastern Canada will make Saturday cool and slightly unsettled with additional showers possible.

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

TONIGHT: 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.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT / THURSDAY: Cloudy. Areas of drizzle and fog. Periodic rain. Temperatures may hold 41-48 southern NH and northern MA and rise to 49-56 to the south. Wind SE-S 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain showers likely. Temperatures steady or may rise slightly. Wind S 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with rain showers, some heavy, ending from west to east midday-afternoon. Breaking clouds later. Highs 58-65, except cooler South Coast. Wind S 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to W by late in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind W 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered rain showers. Highs 45-52. Wind W 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 14-18)

A little adjustment to the forecast here. Still expect fair weather during the day of April 14 then a disturbance to bring a rain shower chance that night and into at least a portion of Patriots day April 15, but not expecting a widespread rain event from that. A fair interlude follows, then more unsettled weather later in the period. Still many details to work out.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 19-23)

Dry, milder early period. Unsettled weather may return later in the period with a cooling trend.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 8-12)

A narrow ridge of high pressure brings nice weather to the region today! Although some high clouds will spill over the top of the ridge axis to our west and slightly filter the sun in parts of the region during the solar eclipse this afternoon, it won’t be a significant hindrance. As a reminder, maximum coverage of the sun for Boston will be 93% at 3:29 p.m. EDT, between an eclipse start time of 2:16 p.m. EDT and end time of 4:39 p.m. EDT. One other thing to add about today is the threat of some coastal splashover and minor flooding around the time of midday-early afternoon high tide (new moon). Otherwise, the rest of the outlook through midweek remains basically unchanged. Canadian high pressure sends a dry cold front through the region later tonight and turning the wind more northeast to east on Tuesday, with cooler conditions, especially along the coast. Fenway Park will have a cool breeze for the Red Sox home opener, but it will be dry! Midweek’s unsettled weather is still on track with a warm front taking its time to approach and move through Wednesday into Thursday, finally pushing through later Thursday into Friday, when a cold front will approach from the west. Wednesday will be cool and raw with light rain and drizzle around, with more widespread rainfall likely on Thursday and more of a showery set-up in the warm sector on Friday, maybe even with a thunderstorm here and there. Look for increasing winds as the warmer air arrives ahead of that cold front, especially during Friday.

TODAY: 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.

TONIGHT: High clouds increase. 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.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT / THURSDAY: Cloudy. Areas of drizzle and fog. Periodic rain. Temperatures may hold 41-48 southern NH and northern MA and rise to 49-56 to the south. Wind SE-S 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Cloudy. Rain showers likely. Chance of thunderstorms Friday. Lows 45-52 Thursday night. Highs 58-65. Friday. Wind S 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 13-17)

Windy, chilly weather with passing rain/mix showers possible April 13. Fair, milder, more tranquil April 14. Fair April 15, but ocean breeze may cool us off. Unsettled weather chances increase again at the end of the period.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 18-22)

Dry, milder early period. Unsettled weather may return later in the period with a cooling trend.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 7-11)

One more day in the circulation of low pressure offshore, held up by a blocking pattern in the atmosphere, the same block that will set up great viewing conditions for tomorrow’s solar eclipse. First, we continue to be in clouds from the offshore storm much of today, but we’ll start to see a decrease later today, and especially tonight. In contrast to yesterday’s more widespread showers of rain (mixed with snow in some areas), we’ll just see a few potential light rain showers today, otherwise the day will be mainly dry. Again, regarding the solar eclipse, with the path of totality crossing far northern New England, the WHW forecast area still sees a pretty significant coverage on the sun during the event (93% at Boston, a tiny bit less to the south and a tiny bit more to the north), peaking at 3:29 p.m. EDT between a start time of 2:16 p.m. EDT and an end time of 4:39 p.m. EDT. I’ll repeat this one more time on tomorrow morning’s update for you. Post-eclipse, we’ll see some high clouds start to move in from the west over the top of a narrow ridge of high pressure that gives us our nice weather for Monday. High pressure from eastern Canada cools is down but keeps us fair Tuesday. Then we move back to unsettled weather for midweek with a cool easterly wind and an overcast with some wet weather returning ahead of a warm front on Wednesday. This front may struggle to cross the region Thursday as low pressure moves to our northwest and a large scale trough slides into the Northeast, keeping the weather wet but leaving some uncertainty on the temperature forecast for that day – could end up with a larger range across the region depending on the position / movement of the front.

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

TONIGHT: 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.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT / THURSDAY: Cloudy. Areas of drizzle and fog. Periodic rain. Temperatures may hold 41-48 southern NH and northern MA and rise to 49-56 to the south. Wind SE-S 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 12-16)

Cold front approaches April 12 with numerous rain showers, possible thunderstorms, breezy/windy conditions and a push of milder air regionwide. Behind this, expect a stronger northwest wind, unsettled weather (rain/mix showers) and chilly weather for April 13. High pressure brings more tranquil and milder weather April 14-15 but on April 15 (Marathon Monday / Patriots Day) we may end up much cooler at the coast. Unsettled weather chances increase again at the end of the period.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 17-21)

Unsettled / cool start to the period, then drier / milder trend follows.

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.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 5-9)

We will remain on the westerly side of the circulation of the low pressure area that brought us the midweek storm today through the weekend, but the impact on our region will be a little different each day, from scattered rain/snow showers today to a more widespread swath of rain showers Saturday to just lingering clouds and maybe a passing sprinkle of rain on Sunday. Just in time for a solar eclipse on Monday, high pressure builds in with sunshine and milder air. A weak cold front will slip down from the north Tuesday, pushed by an eastern Canadian high pressure area, and this will send slightly cooler weather into the region at that time. We’ll also see some high clouds spilling into the region post-eclipse on Monday and especially Monday night and Tuesday as low pressure moves through the Midwest and Great Lakes.

TODAY: Mostly cloudy. Occasional light snow/rain showers. Highs 40-47. Wind W 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Occasional light snow showers, may dust the ground in a few locations. Lows 31-38. Wind WNW 5-15 MPH.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. More widespread snow or rain showers early then rain showers. Highs 41-48. Wind NW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Diminishing rain showers evening. 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. Solar eclipse begins 2:16 p.m., maximum coverage (92-95% southeast to northwest across the WHW forecast area) at 3:29 p.m., ends at 4:39 p.m. 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: Variably cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind NW up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 51-58. Wind N 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 10-14)

Early to mid period unsettled weather as a low pressure trough moves through. Late period improvement as high pressure builds back in. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 15-19)

Fair weather may start the period (Patriots Day / Boston Marathon April 15). Mid period unsettled weather chances are higher. Late period fair weather should return. But getting out in the double-digit days ahead this can’t be a high confidence outlook when that much change is involved, so check back as this outlook is fine-tuned.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 4-8)

Low pressure moves across the region early today (track across southeastern MA) then slowly makes its way into the Gulf of Maine where it hangs around until the weekend, then gradually shifts away to the east. Impacts from this system have been as expected in general, and will continue as described previously, with a variety of precipitation, most frozen stuff to the north and west, to mainly rain South Coast with some mix/variety in between. This just becomes lingering rain/snow showers by Friday and a few rain showers by Saturday until we’re just down to lingering clouds Sunday. The worst of the wind has already occurred, but we’ll still have strong east to north winds in much of the region as the low pulls through (with more variable winds around the track of low pressure). We’ll be in a generally moderate northerly air flow Friday into the weekend. Finally, high pressure builds in with fair weather and favorable conditions for solar eclipse viewing on Monday! More detail soon on that.

TODAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 36-43, may spike to 43-50 Cape Cod. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast but may become variable Cape Cod, higher gusts probable.

TONIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Lows 33-40. Highs 38-45. Wind N 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT / SATURDAY: Lots of clouds. A few rain/snow showers Friday night and a few rain showers Saturday. Lows 30-37 Friday night. Highs 41-48 Saturday. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 47-54. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

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

MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 51-58. Wind NW up to 10 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 9-13)

High pressure and fair weather April 9. Unsettled weather potential returns mid period before improvement late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 14-18)

Mild and fair to start, then a cooling trend with potential unsettled weather follows that as high pressure is replaced by a low pressure trough.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 3-7)

The key aspects of the upcoming storm, the main part of which occurs later today through early Thursday, will be wind and rain for southern and eastern areas and somewhat wind but mostly sleet and wet snow further west and north. The idea is generally the same for this as yesterday’s update, and that’s for the next round of precipitation (after last night’s entering and dissipating rainfall area) to arrive during this morning and midday from southwest to northeast and grow steady and moderate to at times heavy, with mixing and turning over to sleet and wet snow taking places earliest and most completely over interior higher elevations (mainly Worcester Hills to Monadnock Region) and progress generally but somewhat unevenly to the east from there, mostly the I-495 to I-95 belts to the north of I-90. The uneven advance will be due to mixing / changing occurring in heavier pockets of precipitation as they translate east and northeast. These pockets do a more efficient transport of colder air downward to aid in the process. I do think the track of a secondary low will be across far southeastern New England but close enough that the mix/change process can’t really take place further south, which is why I expect a mainly rain event with maybe some occasional mixing in these locations. As the low center moves away it will do so very slowly – held up a bit by blocking – during Thursday and Friday when we’ll have additional rain and snow showers. The wind aspect will be most notable tonight and early Thursday when we have the strongest gradient and onshore winds north of the low’s track. This can result in some damage to trees and scattered power outages. We’ll also have the chance to see some tree damage and power outages in the hilly terrain to the north and west where snow accumulates the most. With surface temperatures a little too warm to support icing, that won’t be a factor, and sleet does not generally lead to load problems for trees, so even where that accumulates it shouldn’t add much to the problems. For sleet/snow accumulation, I’m expecting 4-8 inches in the highest elevations of the Worcester Hills to Monadnocks, and in pockets further east in southern NH with 2-4 inches southeast of there into the the I-495 belt north of I-90, then pockets of slushy coatings to 2 inch amounts south and east of there but favoring inland areas north of I-90. Fast forward a little to the weekend when we’ll see gradual improvement as the low pressure area that is still impacting the region with clouds and a few rain showers Saturday will lose its grip Sunday when we will see better weather. Hang in there!

TODAY: Hint of sun eastern areas early, then re-thickening overcast. Rain arrives west to east, may mix with sleet and/or snow by later in the day over interior higher elevations northwest of Boston. Highs 40-47 early, then slowly falling. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

TONIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, will mix with and turn to sleet/snow at times favoring north central MA and southern NH. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 Cape Cod. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast but may become variable Cape Cod, higher gusts probable.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT / SATURDAY: Lots of clouds. A few rain/snow showers Friday night and a few rain showers Saturday. Lows 30-37 Friday night. Highs 41-48 Saturday. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 47-54. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 8-12)

High pressure and fair weather April 8-9. Favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Unsettled weather potential returns mid into late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 13-17)

A more west-to-east flow means variable temperatures and weaker weather systems to pass through, including a couple rain shower threats to start. May need to watch for a return to some blocking later on in the period with onshore flow and cooler weather.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 2-6)

A midweek storm will bother us with wind and a variety of precipitation. It’s to be a slow process both in and out. Today clouds thicken up and rain approaches, making it into areas west and south of Boston later in the day, but drying up somewhat as it pushes northeastward through evening. Renewed precipitation arrives overnight and Wednesday, mainly in the form of rain though some sleet/snow can start to mix in over higher elevations to the north and west as we go through the day. Just enough cold air is around so that sleet/snow will be an issue in northern MA and southern NH at times, with the greatest threat of accumulating snow favoring higher elevations of north central MA and southwestern NH Wednesday night into Thursday before precipitation tapers off to rain/snow showers, which will linger through Friday as low pressure will be slow to start pulling away. In fact, this low will still be impacting us into the start of the weekend with lots of clouds and maybe a few lingering rain showers. During the storm, especially Wednesday and early Thursday, expect fairly strong winds along the coast and some threat of coastal flooding as well. One potential surprise factor: Since temperatures in the atmosphere are very marginal, slightly heavier precipitation or a slightly further southeast low pressure track can pull the frozen precipitation area further east and south, so that will be something to monitor closely.

TODAY: Partial sun early, then cloudy. Later-day rain south central MA, eastern CT, RI, into southeastern MA. Highs 42-49, coolest in eastern coastal locations. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TONIGHT: Cloudy. Spotty light rain, may mix with wet snow some interior higher elevations. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Highs 38-45 but may fall slowly during the day. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, may mix with or turn to sleet/snow at times favoring north central MA and southern NH. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 Cape Cod. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast but may become variable Cape Cod, higher gusts probable.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT / SATURDAY: Lots of clouds. A few rain/snow showers Friday night and a few rain showers Saturday. Lows 30-37 Friday night. Highs 41-48 Saturday. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 7-11)

Clearing trend to finish the weekend April 7. High pressure and fair weather April 8-9. Favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Unsettled weather potential later in the period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 12-16)

A more west-to-east flow means variable temperatures and weaker weather systems to pass through, including a couple rain shower threats.

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 1-5)

Welcome to April! I’m not going to play any jokes on you because Mother Nature will attempt that this week, and for most people it won’t be funny. We actually start out with a day that’s not too bad despite the lack of sun. The shield of clouds covering our sky is from a wave of low pressure passing to our south. While the cloud deck is thick enough to produce some precipitation, most of it will be evaporating before reaching the ground and only a few raindrops may find their way to the surface, but we’ll otherwise be in for a dry day despite the lack of sunshine. We’ll also lack the wind that was active most of the weekend. A weak trough of low pressure will swing across the region today and can produce a few spotty rain showers mainly from southern NH to northeastern MA. We’re entering a lengthy unsettled stretch of weather that spans the entire work week, but peaks in a midweek storm. Tomorrow, an arm of moisture ahead of this system tries to move in under an overcast sky, but again will battle dry air, so I feel that the precipitation shield will again be mostly aloft for the day, with some rain finally making it into eastern CT, RI, and parts of southeastern and south central MA later in the day, with any remains of that precipitation area will cause spotty light rain in the rest of the region at night, but will be fading. It will be early Wednesday when a more substantial precipitation shield arrives. As this storm impacts us during midweek (Wednesday/Thursday), there will be a high pressure area in eastern Canada supplying colder air. But like much of the winter, we find ourselves in a situation where temperatures are marginal between rain and snow, and it will be over inland, higher elevations, and with the aid of intensity, that snow is most likely to fall, with mixing occurring further east, but probably just a mainly rain event closer to the coast and most especially the further south you go. But we’ll have to keep a close eye on this, because a degree or two difference in the lower atmosphere makes a great difference in rain vs. snow for many areas. I do think in whatever form it’s falling the precipitation peaks in intensity Wednesday night. A primary low near the Great Lakes will give way to a secondary in our region, with the position of this low also being instrumental in determining rain vs. snow. During Thursday, the general idea with this system is it will lift far enough north to allow the precipitation to become less widespread and overall somewhat lighter, but a messy variety is still likely to be involved. And the very slow process of seeing this system exit will result in Friday being another unsettled day with clouds dominating and additional showers of precipitation, which may be in one or more forms. This forecast will obviously need to be tweaked in shorter terms as we go through the week.

TODAY: Mostly cloudy. A touch of very light rain possible at times, mainly near the South Coast. Highs 48-55, coolest coast. Wind variable up to 10 MPH, with light coastal sea breezes.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. An evening rain shower possible southern NH and northeastern MA. Lows 35-42. Wind shifting to N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Late-day rain possible eastern CT, RI, and adjacent areas of southern MA. Highs 42-49, coolest in eastern coastal locations. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Spotty light rain, may mix with wet snow some interior higher elevations. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Highs 38-45 but may fall slowly during the day. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, may mix with or turn to sleet/snow at times favoring interior higher elevations. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 South Coast. Wind variable 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 6-10)

Slow improvement during the April 6-7 weekend, starting unsettled, ending dry as low pressure slowly pulls away. High pressure builds in with fair weather April 8-10. Overall favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 11-15)

Unsettled weather returns early to mid period with a low pressure trough. High pressure builds in late period with fair weather again. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 31 – APRIL 4)

It’s the final day of March, and for those celebrating, it’s Easter Sunday! Today’s going to be a pretty nice early spring day across our area. A small disturbance passed through the region overnight but exits first thing this morning with lingering clouds. Then we will have an interval of sun before fair-weather clouds pop up during the afternoon and share the sky with the sun. It’ll be rather mild for the final day of March despite a bit of a breeze, although it will be less windy than Saturday was. Enjoy this final day of March, because as we welcome April, we’re going to get into a complex set-up that also leads to unsettled weather a good deal of the coming week. There’s still a fair amount of uncertainty regarding the details of the stormy weather that’s due to impact the region. This is the general breakdown… First, an initial wave of low pressure moves out just south of the region later Monday, throwing a deck of clouds across our sky. Might it precipitate from this? Possibly, but there’s a good chance it may be just too far south to do much, so I’m going with the clouds but a mostly dry forecast for Monday. An extension of high pressure from eastern Canada noses in for Tuesday. We’ll still have a fair amount of cloudiness but the daytime should be dry. It’s Tuesday night and Wednesday that we’ll become involved with the main precipitation shield of a final storm system – one in which a parent low will move into the southern Great Lakes with a secondary forming near the northern Middle Atlantic coast and moving up into or just south of New England. The track of this storm will determine precipitation timing, intensity, and type, as we’ll be on the border of some air cold enough to produce snow. Odds favor more snow inland and with elevation based on the current expected set-up, but a slightly further south secondary storm would allow the colder air and snow opportunity to be further south and east, so we’ll have to watch this very closely for later Wednesday into Thursday.

TODAY: Clouds give way to sun, which then gives way to a sun/cloud mix. Highs 52-59. Wind W-NW 5-15 MPH, gusts around 20 MPH.

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Clear overnight. Lows 32-39. Wind NW 5-15 MPH evening, diminishing overnight.

MONDAY: Lots of clouds. Highs 49-56, cooler in some coastal areas. Wind variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breezes.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Highs 40-47. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures start 38-45 then slowly fall. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT / THURSDAY: Overcast with rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures steady in 30s. wind E-NE 15-25 MPH, gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 5-9)

Early period lingering storm impacts the region with clouds, wind, and some precipitation lingering, then a drying trend as high pressure builds in. Still a favorable outlook at this time for solar eclipse viewing April 8. Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 10-14)

Unsettled weather returns early to mid period with a low pressure trough. High pressure builds in late period with fair weather again. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 30 – APRIL 3)

This weekend will feature generally dry weather across southeastern New England. There will be one minor interruption that some won’t even notice. First, we will be in a gusty northwesterly air flow today behind yesterday’s storm as it has moved northeastward into Atlantic Canada and intensified. While it’ll be a precipitation-free day we will see shreds of fractocumulus clouds become a bit more bulky with the aid of the sun’s heating of the ground and the subsequent rising of moisture on the surface from yesterday’s wet weather into the lower atmosphere where it’ll cool and fuel the fair-weather clouds. These will fade as the sun sinks later in the day, while at the same time we’ll see an advance of high to mid level clouds ahead of a small low pressure area that will pass just south of the region early Sunday. While dry air will limit what this system can do, a couple areas of rain and snow can occur during the overnight hours – rain more likely toward the South Coast with some wet snow more likely to the north, but this is going to be an insignificant event and exits the region by sunrise. There may be some leftover cloudiness from this system first thing Sunday morning (Easter Sunday for those celebrating). These will exit and we’ll have a period of bright sun, but much like today, sun’s heating will then trigger fair weather clouds that might fill much of the sky in the afternoon. Still though, not a bad day – less breezy and a little milder than today will be – as we say goodbye to March. April arrives Monday and we’ll immediately turn our attention to an upcoming storm threat. First, an initial wave of low pressure will track south of our region later Monday, bringing some clouds. While an area of light rain may skirt the South Coast, I do think the dry air will be substantial enough over the region to limit this. A second, more potent storm system will approach the region from the west, bringing the threat of rain/mix/snow to the region late Tuesday through Wednesday. It’s still too early to really iron out the details / impacts of this system, but those details will come into focus over the next couple of days.

TODAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

TONIGHT: Clouding up. Some spotty light rain/sleet/snow possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Early clouds, then mostly sunny mid through late morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 52-59. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.,

MONDAY: Clouds increase. Slight chance of late-day rain South Coast. Highs 50-57. Wind W to variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breeze possible.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain arrives late day or nighttime. Highs 38-45. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT & WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures start 38-45 then slowly fall. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 4-8)

Early period storm impacts the region with rain/mix/snow likely. Drying out mid to late period as high pressure builds in. Favorable outlook at this time for solar eclipse viewing April 8. Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 9-13)

High pressure brings fair weather first part of period, then unsettled weather threat returns mid to late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 29 – APRIL 2)

Low pressure wraps up and intensifies as it passes east of New England today and heads for Atlantic Canada. The area of rain over the region to start the day will exit from west to east, possibly mixed with wet snow in some areas, hanging on lastly for the South Shore and Cape Cod region, where it will exit by mid afternoon (SS) to late afternoon (CC). By the end of the day, breaks in the clouds, especially to the west, can allow a bit of sun, and the wind will be picking up as the air dries out. Our weekend looks mostly dry, but a quick-moving disturbance will send a batch of clouds through later Saturday into early Sunday (Easter for those celebrating). While some guidance shows a fairly solid swath of snow and rain passing through the region, moisture is going to be limited so any precipitation should be fairly light and not take all that long to cross the WHW forecast area. This should occur in a 6-hour window about 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday. The balance of Sunday sees an increase in sun, and a breeze, but not bad. High pressure brings fair weather Monday before the next low pressure system moves in Tuesday, coinciding with the arrival of colder air. This means when precipitation arrives, we may be talking about more than “just rain”. Timing and details are of course fuzzy this far out, so check coming updates for the fine-tuning process!

TODAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas, may be mixed with or even turn to wet snow in some areas before ending. Breaking clouds from west to east later. Highs 46-53. Wind N-NW increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts later in the day.

TONIGHT: Clearing. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Some spotty light rain/sleet/snow possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy including the chance of light snow/mix/rain early. Partly sunny later morning on. Highs 50-57. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.,

MONDAY: Sunny. Highs 51-58. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Lows 31-38. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain arrives late day or nighttime. Highs 38-45. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 3-7)

Midweek storm threat (rain/mix/snow). Drying trend later in the period. Temperatures below normal then moderating to near normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 8-12)

High pressure brings fair weather first part of period, then unsettled weather threat returns mid to late period. Temperatures near to above normal.