We’ve reached the Fourth of July, and for the most part, we’ll have some great weather for the long weekend.

High pressure slides offshore tonight, resulting in hot and increasingly humid conditions on Friday. Temperatures will likely top 90 in much of the region. Humidity levels, while rising, won’t be in the unbearable range (yet), but you’ll definitely notice the increase in moisture. A warm front moves through at night, with a shower or thunderstorm possible, but all this front will really do is increase the humidity for Saturday. We’ll have more cloudcover on Saturday as a cold front approaches, but with a very warm and now very humid airmass in place, showers and thunderstorms are likely ahead of that cold front. Some of the storms that do form could be strong to severe, with strong winds, heavy downpours, and hail. If you’ve got outdoor plans Saturday afternoon/evening, keep an eye on the sky and the radar, and be prepared to move indoors.

Showers come to an end from northwest to southeast Saturday night, though they may linger across the South Coast and Cape Cod into early Sunday morning. Sunday should feature cooler and drier conditions as high pressure builds in, but with the front stalled out just south of New England, there will still be a slight chance for a shower on Sunday, mainly near the South Coast. For the 4th itself, we’re looking at sunshine, seasonably warm temperatures and comfortable humidity levels.

Thursday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 58-65.

Friday: Partly to mostly sunny. High 88-95, cooler along the South Coast. Offshore: Southwest 10-15 knots, gusts to 20 knots, seas 2-4 feet visibility 1-3 miles in patchy morning fog, improving in the afternoon.

Friday night: Becoming mostly cloudy with a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm. Low 66-73.

Saturday: More clouds than sunshine with showers and thunderstorms likely, some of which may become strong to severe. High 79-86. Offshore: Southwest 15-20 knots, gusts to 25 knots, seas 3-5 feet, visibility under 1 mile in showers and thunderstorms.

Saturday night: Showers and thunderstorms ending, then skies become partly cloudy. Low 60-67.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds, slight chance for a shower, mainly near the South Coast. High 80-87. Offshore: West winds 5-10 knots, seas 2-4 feet, visibility 1-3 miles in showers near the South Coast, 10 miles or better elsewhere.

Sunday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 57-64.

Monday: Partly to mostly sunny. High 80-87. Offshore: West winds 5-10 knots, seas 2-4 feet, visibility 10 miles or better.

As we head towards a long weekend, much, but not all, of the upcoming week will feature some rather nice weather.

We start the week with a cold front approaching the region today. Showers and a few thunderstorms are likely ahead of the front. While we’re not expecting a lot of rainfall today, we need every drop we can get, to help alleviate the developing drought. The front moves offshore this evening, then skies clear out. High pressure builds in or Tuesday and Wednesday with sunshine and mild temperatures. A weak disturbance may produce a shower or two Wednesday evening, otherwise, high pressure remains in control for the latter half of the week with dry weather and a warming trend. In fact, Friday, could be quite toasty, with some of the models showing temperatures well into the 90s across a good portions of the region.

For the Fourth of July Weekend, the start looks a little uncertain. A frontal system will approach the region on Saturday. How warm we get ahead of the front will depend on the timing. If we can get some sunshine, it could be another hot day. The front should produce another round of showers and thunderstorms late Saturday into Saturday night. We should dry out for Sunday and Monday, with temperatures at least reaching seasonably warm levels, though some models show the potential for hot weather to quickly return, especially on the Fourth.

Monday: Cloudy with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms. High 74-81.

Monday night: Showers end in the evening, skies clear out after midnight. Low 53-60.

Tuesday: Sunshine and a few clouds. High 74-81.

Tuesday night: Clear skies. Low 54-61.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, chance for a shower during the evening. High 78-85.

Thursday: Plenty of sunshine. High 81-88.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds, breezy. High 88-95, cooler along the coast.

Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely. High 84-91.

Sunday: Showers and storms may linger into the morning, then becoming partly sunny. High 79-86.

Fourth of July: Mostly sunny. High 81-88.

Astronomical summer begins at 5:13am Tuesday, but it’ll be at least a few more days until some traditional “summer weather” arrives.

An upper-level low pressure system will pull away from the region today while a ridge of high pressure that has been roasting the nation’s mid-section will slowly start to slide eastward. At the surface, high pressure builds in today with sunshine and mild temperatures, but still a little below normal for the middle of June. A warm front will start to approach on Tuesday, and it may be accompanied by some scattered showers Tuesday night into early Wednesday. They shouldn’t be that heavy, and won’t ruin either day, but at this point, we need any rain we can get. That brings us to Thursday.

That warm front likely slips back southward, and a weak area of low pressure may develop offshore. That could result in a rather cool and wet day on Thursday. This is not definite by any means, so don’t cancel any outdoor plans just yet. By Friday, that front should lift northward again and the weak low pulls away, resulting in warmer and more humid weather for Friday into the weekend. While temperatures will be near to a little above normal, we’re not looking at any widespread heat just yet. A few thunderstorms could pop up each afternoon, especially Sunday, with a cold front approaching from the northwest.

Monday: Sunshine and just a few afternoon clouds. High 71-78, coolest along the coastline with afternoon seabreezes likely.

Monday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 47-54.

Tuesday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 72-79, again coolest at the coast.

Tuesday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, chance for a few showers. Low 51-58.

Wednesday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine, chance for a shower. High 68-75.

Thursday: More clouds than sun with showers likely. High 67-74.

Friday: Partly sunny, chance for a shower or two. High 76-83.

Saturday: A mix of sun and clouds, slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm. High 79-86.

Sunday: Partly sunny, a shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78-85.

While heat grips much of the nation, conditions will be a bit more pleasant around here this week:

A cold front will move offshore this morning, taking any lingering showers with it. High pressure then builds in later today into Wednesday with dry and seasonably warm conditions expected. Another cold front approaches later Thursday into Friday, with more showers and thunderstorms possible. Humid weather will return for those days as well, ahead of the front. Behind that front, high pressure builds in for next weekend with drier but still mild conditions.

Monday: Any lingering showers end this morning, skies clear out this afternoon. High 77-84.

Monday night: Clear skies. Low 54-61.

Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine with just a few afternoon clouds. High 79-86.

Tuesday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 55-62.

Wednesday: Partly to mostly sunny. High 73-80.

Thursday: Partly to mostly cloudy and breezy with showers and thunderstorms possible late in the day, more likely at night. High 77-84.

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms end in the morning, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon. High 81-88.

Saturday: Sunshine and a few clouds, breezy. High 72-79.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 69-76.

Some beneficial rainfall could be on the way later this week.

We start the week off under the influence of high pressure, bringing sunshine and seasonably warm temperatures in today. Tuesday will also remain dry and mild, but clouds will start to stream in ahead of an approaching cold front. As that front moves nearer, we’ll see some showers and possibly a few thunderstorms developing Tuesday night into Wednesday. It doesn’t look like we’ll have any severe weather with this front, but it’s best to stay alert if you’ll be outdoors on Wednesday for anything. The front looks like it will stall out near or just south of the region, and a wave of low pressure will ride along it Wednesday night and Thursday, with the potential for some heavier rainfall, especially near the South Coast. It’s been a dry couple of months around here, and drought conditions have been developing, so any rainfall is needed.

High pressure will build back in for Friday with dry and seasonably warm conditions, but next weekend may not be that great. Another complex low pressure system may move in for Saturday and Sunday, with the potential for more rain and cooler temperatures. There is still some disagreement among the models, so don’t go cancelling any plans for next weekend just yet. We hope to have more clarity on this when we publish our Weekend Outlook on Thursday.

Monday: Sunshine and some afternoon clouds. High 75-82.

Monday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 51-58.

Tuesday: Partly sunny and breezy, clouds start to thicken up late in the day. High 75-82.

Tuesday night: Mostly cloudy with showers developing after midnight. Low 57-64.

Wednesday: Cloudy with showers likely, mainly in the morning. Steadier rain possible at night. High 67-74.

Thursday: Rain ending in the morning, some sunny breaks may develop in the afternoon. High 70-77.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 73-80.

Saturday: Cloudy with a chance of rain, especially during the afternoon and evening. High 71-78.

Sunday: More clouds than sun with a chance of showers, mainly in the morning. High 68-75.