Weekend Outlook: December 1-4, 2023

Some unsettled weather is on the way for the weekend, so get those umbrellas out.

Temperatures will be close to the normal highs in the middle to upper 40s over the next few days. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

High pressure remains in control into Friday morning with dry and seasonably cool conditions. Clouds will thicken up on Friday as a weak storm system moves toward the region. A period of showers is likely late Friday afternoon and evening, but we’re not expecting any heavy rain at this point. After that, a series of weak systems will move through over the weekend, keeping the clouds in place with slightly cooler temperatures, and some episodes of rain showers. We’re not expecting them to be widespread or heavy, but they’ll be enough of a nuisance that you’ll notice them. A more potent system looks to move in for late Sunday into Monday. There is still quite a bit of uncertainty among the models as the how this storm will evolve and track, but right now, it looks like it will move across southeastern New England early Monday. This will likely result in rain, possibly heavy, for much of the region, with some gusty winds near the coast. Temperatures will be on the cool side, except near the South Coast and Cape Cod, which could be on the warm side of the storm. The area with the most uncertainty is across southern New Hampshire and the hills of central Massachusetts. At least one model is showing the potential for enough cold air for some snow or a wintry mix both at the start and at the end of the storm, but this is far from a certainty. In fact, the majority of the models do not show this scenario, but that doesn’t mean we should just discount it.

The models all have different ideas for what will happen on Sunday. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy. Low 33-40.

Friday: Some morning sun, then clouds return, showers develop by late afternoon. High 48-55.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy, showers ending toward midnight. Low 35-42.

Saturday: Plenty of clouds with a few showers possible. High 48-55.

Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, chance for a shower or two. Low 37-44.

Sunday: Cloudy with light rain and showers redeveloping, possibly some wintry mix from the hills of central Massachusetts into southwestern New Hampshire. High 44-51.

Sunday night: Periods of rain and showers. Low 34-41.

Monday: Cloudy with occasional showers, possibly mixed with some snow from central Massachusetts into southern New Hampshire. High 43-50.

Thanksgiving Weekend Outlook: November 23-27, 2023

The weather will be more tranquil but also cooler for a good chunk of the extended holiday weekend.

Wind chills will be in the teens Saturday morning, so bundle up if you’ll be ehading out. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Low pressure pulls away this evening with rain ending, and skies slowly clearing out overnight. High pressure builds in for Thanksgiving with sunshine and seasonably cool temperatures, but it will remain breezy as our low pressure system continues to intensify in Atlantic Canada. Another cold front moves through on Friday, but with only a few clouds accompanying it. Behind it, even colder air will settle in for Friday night and Saturday on gusty northwest winds. Temperatures on Saturday likely stay in the 30s for highs, with lows Saturday night dropping into the 20s, with some teens in the normally colder locations. Keep this in mind if you’ll be out during the day Saturday or at night. Temperatures will start to moderate on Sunday, but clouds will also stream in ahead of both a low pressure system moving off the Mid-Atlantic coast and another cold front moving in from the west. A period of rain showers seems likely Sunday night into Monday morning as the low passes by offshore and the cold front moves in. Temperatures may be marginally cold enough for some snow to mix in at the start well north and west of Boston. We’ll start to clear out behind both systems Monday afternoon.

There are still some differences to be worked out among the models for our Sunday night storm system. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Wednesday night: Any lingering showers end this evening, skies start to clear out after midnight, breezy. Low 34-41.

Thanksgiving: Plenty of sunshine, breezy. High 44-51.

Thursday night: Clear skies. Low 30-37.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds, breezy. High 42-49.

Friday night: Clear skies. Low 17-24.

Saturday: Sunshine and some afternoon clouds. High 31-38.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Low 22-29.

Sunday: Becoming partly to mostly cloudy. High 41-48.

Sunday night: Cloudy with showers likely, possibly starting as a little wet snow well north and west of Boston. Low 31-38.

Monday: Morning showers, some afternoon clearing, breezy. High 44-51.

Weekend Outlook: November 17-20, 2023

Lots of change is in the air for the weekend, from warm to cool, from wet to dry, from windy to calm.

Temperatures should get well into the 60s for most of us on Friday. Image provided by WeatherBell.

High pressure is in control to start the weekend with dry weather for tonight and Friday. Temperatures will turn milder as winds shift into the southwest with the high pressure area moving off to our east. However, clouds will be streaming in ahead of both an approaching cold front and a low pressure area moving up the East Coast. The low pressure area is the one that has been drenching Florida for the past couple of days, but right now, it looks like it will stay far enough offshore to only bring in some rain to parts of Cape Cod and the Islands and possibly southeastern Massachusetts. However, the cold front will also bring in some showers for Friday night into Saturday morning. Saturday will start off quite mild, likely in the 50s for most spots, but with the front moving through, not only will it bring an end to the rain, it will usher much cooler weather in on gusty northwest winds. Temperatures will likely drop trough the afternoon, with skies clearing out late in the day. High pressure builds in for Sunday and Monday with sunshine and cool conditions, but it will likely remain breezy, especially on Sunday, as low pressure strengthens in Atlantic Canada.

This system shouldn’t be a big rain-maker for most of the region. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Clear skies through the evening, clouds start to move in after midnight. Low 34-41.

Friday: Increasing and thickening clouds, breezy, and mild. High 58-65.

Friday night: Cloudy with showers developing, mainly after midnight. Low 47-54.

Saturday: Rain and showers end by early afternoon, skies start to clear out late in the day, becoming breezy and turning cooler in the afternoon. High 52-59 in the morning, temperatures drop in the afternoon.

Saturday night: Clear skies, breezy during the evening. Low 28-35.

Sunday: Plenty of sunshine, breezy. High 44-51.

Sunday night: Clear skies, breezy. Low 25-32.

Monday: Sunshine and a few clouds, still a bit breezy. High 38-45.

Weekend Outlook: November 10-13, 2023

Another dry weekend coming up? Where were these during the summer?

If you were up early enough this morning, some parts of the region had some sleet or even a few wet snowflakes for the first time this season. Don’t worry, they won’t be back for a while. Any lingering rain showers will end this evening, and while we may see a little clearing overnight, clouds quickly return on Friday as an upper-level disturbance moves across the region. Could there be a shower or two? It’s possible, but for the most part, it just be cloudy, breezy, and cool. High pressure builds in for the weekend with lots of sunshine, but again, temperatures will remain on the cool side. Another upper-level disturbance brings clouds back in on Monday, but again, we should remain dry for the most part, with only a few stray showers expected.

Temperatures will be well below normal through the weekend. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: A lingering shower this evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Low 33-40.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, slight chance for a shower, skies start to clear out late in the day, breezy. High 45-52.

Friday night: Clear skies. Low 31-38.

Saturday: Sunshine and a few clouds. High 43-50.

Saturday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 25-32.

Sunday: Partly to mostly sunny. High 38-45.

Sunday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 23-30.

Monday: Morning sun, increasing afternoon clouds, slight chance for a late-day shower. High 42-49.

Weekend Outlook: October 27-30, 2023

The warm weather continues into the start of the weekend, but big changes are on the way.

Temperatures could reach 80 in some spots on Saturday. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

A ridge of high pressure remains in control through Saturday, keeping temperatures well above normal. In fact, with plenty of sunshine both Friday and Saturday, we may make a run at 80 degrees in some spots. Friday night will be rather mild, with our low temperatures fairly close to our normal high temperatures for late-October. A cold front moves through Saturday evening, with clouds streaming in along with it. Sunday will feature plenty of clouds, and it will turn much cooler, but we’ll still be close to normal for this time of year. A wave of low pressure riding along the front brings in some rain during the afternoon. Occasional showers will continue for Sunday night and a good chunk of Monday as the cooler air continues to filter in. As the wave and the front push farther offshore later Monday, we may see some clearing develop as high pressure starts to build in. A much cooler pattern settles in for next week with below normal temperatures. Some of the models show the potential for a storm later Tuesday into Wednesday which may not be all rain if you’re well inland, and could impact trick-or-treating Tuesday evening, but we’ll get into more detail on that in our Weekly Outlook Monday morning.

Sunday afternoon will be 20-25 degrees cooler than Saturday afternoon across the region. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 53-60.

Friday: Becoming mostly sunny and warm. High 73-80.

Friday night: Clear skies. Low 54-61.

Saturday: Sunshine and a few clouds, breezy, and warm. Clouds may start to increase late in the day. High 73-80.

Saturday night: Becoming partly to mostly cloudy and turning cooler. Low 43-50.

Sunday: Cloudy and much cooler with showers developing in the afternoon. High 54-61.

Sunday night: Occasional showers. Low 44-51.

Monday: Showers gradually ending, some clearing possible late in the day. High 55-62.

Weekend Outlook: October 20-23, 2023

For a change, it’s going to rain this weekend. The forecast itself isn’t that simple though, so let us explain.

A cold front in the Midwest and a trough of low pressure off the South Carolina coast will be the main players in our weather for the next few days. Image provided by NOAA.

High pressure slides off to the east tonight and clouds start to stream in ahead of a cold front currently crossing the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, a weak area of low pressure will begin to develop off the Carolina coast tonight and head northward. Ahead of both of these, we’ll have a cloudy but mild day on Friday. Some showers are possible during the day, but the bulk of the activity should stay to our west. Showers will become more widespread by evening as the low pressure area to the south draws closer. The combination of the low and the approaching front will produce widespread showers with some bouts of steadier rain through Friday night and Saturday morning, tapering off during the afternoon. While the rain won’t be heavy, some places could see an inch or so by the time it winds down. By Saturday night, the cold front and the low pressure area move offshore, but an upper-level disturbance will move into the Northeast. This will allow the low to slow down or even stall out in the Gulf of Maine while intensifying. This may keep the showers around across parts of Southern Maine and Southern New Hampshire, possibly northern Massachusetts as well, but for most of us, it’ll just be a blustery and cool day with only a few showers around.

Sunday could end up as another damp day according to some of the models. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

High pressure finally starts to build in for Monday with some clearing, but it will remain breezy and cool. In fact, as winds subside Monday night, and skies become clear, we’ve got a chance for our first widespread frost of the fall. So, if you’ve got some outdoor plants, you may want to prepare to bring them inside.

Monday night will be the coolest night we’ve had around here since the middle of May. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: Increasing clouds. Low 46-53.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, chance for a few showers. High 60-67.

Friday night: Cloudy with showers likely. Low 52-59.

Saturday: Cloudy with occasional showers and some periods of steadier rain. High 57-64.

Saturday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, showers ending in the evening, becoming breezy. Low 45-52.

Sunday: More clouds than sun, windy, cooler, more showers possible, especially from the Merrimack Valley northward. High 52-59.

Sunday night: Becoming partly cloudy, breezy. Low 38-45.

Monday: A mix of sun and clouds, breezy, especially in the morning. High 53-60.

Weekend Outlook: October 13-16, 2023

A weekend without rain? Those have been rare since June, but for many of us, it will be a reality this weekend.

Average high temperatures for mid-October are in the lower to middle 60s. Images provided by Weathermodels.com

A weak cold front will cross the region this evening with little fanfare. Behind it, northwest winds will usher some cooler air in for Friday, but we’ll also have a decent amount of sunshine, with seasonably cool temperatures. Low pressure will then start to move out of the Great Lakes and head toward the Mid-Atlantic states. That will send some clouds in for Saturday, but the low should be far enough to the south that most of the rain stays offshore as well. A few showers are possible later Saturday into early Sunday near the South Coast, and there could be a little drizzle near eastern coastal locations, but for the most part we’ll stay dry. We may see a bit more sunshine on Sunday, but clouds come back Monday as another system moves off the Mid-Atlantic coastline. This may bring in a few showers on Monday, but it looks like most of the rain from this system likely holds off until Tuesday.

Some models bring the rain to the South Coast Saturday evening, some don’t. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: A few clouds and possibly a stray shower during the evening, otherwise clear. Low 40-47.

Friday: Mostly sunny, breezy. High 57-64.

Friday night: Clear during the evening, some clouds move in overnight. Low 41-48.

Saturday: Becoming partly to mostly cloudy, a late-day shower possible near the South Coast. High 57-64.

Saturday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, a shower or two possible near the South Coast. Low 41-48.

Sunday: More clouds than sunshine, breezy. High 56-63.

Sunday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 43-50.

Monday: Mostly cloudy, breezy, chance for a shower or two. High 55-62.

Weekend Outlook: October 6-9, 2023

Another rainy Saturday? Yup, we’ve got another rainy Saturday on the way.

Tropical Storm Philippe may have a role in our weather this weekend. Image provided by the National Hurricane Center.

We start off with another foggy night tonight, with plenty of moisture around and high pressure sliding off to the east. Once the fog burns off Friday morning, we’ll still have plenty of clouds ahead of a cold front slowing moving in from the west. A few showers are possible during the day, but they’ll become more likely at night, and through a good chunk of the day on Saturday. Complicating matters is Tropical Storm Philippe, or what’s left of it. It will be moving northward, passing east of the region, but some of the rain from it could move into eastern Massachusetts. Eventually, it’ll get tugged northwestward by an upper-level low (more on that in a minute), moving into Maine or New Brunswick this weekend, with some heavy rain and gusty winds for parts of northern New England. The cold front moves across the region Saturday evening, bringing an end to the rain, then much cooler air settles in behind it. However, that upper-level low over southeastern Canada will move southeastward, which means that despite high pressure building in at the surface, we’ll still have plenty of clouds around Sunday and Monday, with a few popup showers possible.

The heaviest rain will stay well to our west, but there is the potential for some heavy rain in eastern New England this weekend. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Becoming mostly cloudy with areas of fog, some of it dense. Low 54-61.

Friday: Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance for a shower or two. High 67-74.

Friday night: Cloudy with showers developing. Low 57-64.

Saturday: Periods of rain and showers. High 61-68.

Saturday night: Showers end, some clearing possible late at night, becoming breezy. Low 46-53.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds, windy, cooler. High 57-64.

Sunday night: Clear to partly cloudy, winds slowly diminish. Low 41-48.

Monday: Partly sunny, breezy. High 54-61.

Weekend Outlook: September 22-25, 2023

We’ve got a rather complicated forecast coming up as we officially end astronomical summer and begin fall with the autumnal equinox at 2:50am Saturday.

Fall officially begins early Saturday morning. Image provided by CBS News.

High pressure to our north will keep us dry and seasonably cool into Friday. However, high clouds will begin to stream northward from what is currently being called “Potential Tropical Cyclone 16”, but will likely be named Ophelia soon. Whether it is tropical or subtropical doesn’t have much impact on the forecast. Future Ophelia will likely strengthen a bit before moving into eastern North Carolina early Saturday.

Forecast track for Potential Tropical Cyclone 16. Image provided by the National Hurricane Center.

As our high pressure system moves off to the east, southerly flow will send the rain up the East Coast. This is where things get tricky, because another high pressure area will also be trying to build in from the northwest. We’ve seen this setup many times before, and what usually happens is that the high wins out and keeps most of the rain (or snow in the winter) off to our south. However, anytime there’s been a chance for rain this summer, we’ve ended up with a lot of rain. So, taking both of those ideas into account, here’s what we think will happen:

The rain will move up the coast on Friday and Friday night, but will have a tough time moving in early Saturday with plenty of dry air in place. Eventually, the rain will win out, overspreading the region during the afternoon. How far north it gets is still a big question, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to us if the rain never made it across the MA/NH border. Some of the rain may be heavy during the late afternoon and evening, especially south of the Mass Pike. The rain may taper off for a while Saturday night and early Sunday as the second high tries to build in, and the low to the south moves up into the Mid-Atlantic states. A second batch of showers is possible later Sunday and Sunday night as the low starts to turn more toward the northeast, eventually passing out to sea south of New England on Monday, with some additional showers possible.

Heavy rain is likely across parts of the region this weekend, but how far north is still in doubt. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Clear skies, though some high clouds will start to move in. Low 47-54.

Friday: Sunshine filtered through high clouds in the morning, clouds thicken up in the afternoon. High 65-72.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Low 49-56.

Saturday: Showers developing from south to north during the late morning and early afternoon, becoming a steady and potentially heavy rain by late afternoon. High 58-65 during the morning, temperatures drop into the 50s during the afternoon.

Saturday night: Rain tapers off to showers during the evening, mostly cloudy overnight. Low 49-56.

Sunday: Plenty of clouds, some showers may redevelop during the afternoon. High 60-67.

Sunday night: Cloudy with showers likely. Low 50-57.

Monday: Mostly cloudy, more showers around, especially during the morning. High 61-68.

Weekend Outlook: September 15-18, 2023

All eyes are on Hurricane Lee and what impact it will have on the region over the next few days.

Lee is passing well west of Bermuda this afternoon. Loop provided by NOAA.

Hurricane Lee was centered about 710 miles south of Nantucket at 2pm, moving toward the north at 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 85 mph. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Cape Cod and the Islands as well as coastal Plymouth County, with a Tropical Storm Watch for the rest of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as the Seacoast of New Hampshire and the southern Maine coastline. A Storm Surge Watch is also in effect for Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket. Lee will continue northward for the next 24 hours, gradually weakening as it feels some increasing wind shear and starts to move over cooler waters. A slightly bend toward the northwest is possible late Friday as an upper-level low moves into southern Canada, but it should eventually start to turn more toward the northeast, likely becoming extratropical as it makes landfall in Nova Scotia at tropical storm strength.

Most of the models keep Lee well east of the region, with rain mostly along the coast Saturday morning. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

High clouds ahead of Lee will stream into the region tonight, and they will thicken up on Friday as winds start to increase as the pressure gradient between and a high pressure area to our northwest tightens up. The worst of the storm will be between Midnight and about Noon on Saturday. Most of the rain will be confined to Cape Cod and the immediate coastline, with just a few showers penetrating farther inland. With northeast to northerly winds, eventually become northwest Saturday afternoon, the only places where storm surge will be an issue is north-facing shorelines, where the Storm Surge Watch is in effect. While large waves will batter the coastline for the next few days, a storm surge of 2-4 feet above the normal tides will impact the north shore of Cape Cod and northern Nantucket. As for those winds, we’re looking at sustained winds of 30-50 mph for parts of Cape Cod and the Islands with gusts to 60 mph or more, and 20-30 mph sustained winds near the eastern Massachusetts coast with gusts of 40-50 mph possible. Farther inland, winds will be a little weaker than that. Overall, Saturday will be a windy day, with some rain mainly near the coast, something we’ve experienced hundreds, if not thousands, of times. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a big deal for 95% of our region.

Peak wind gusts will generally be in the 35-45 mph range for most of the region, except for the Cape and Islands. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Once Lee starts to pull away, skies will clear out Saturday night and winds will start to diminish, setting up a fantastic Sunday with sunshine and warm temperatures. Clouds will start to move back in by evening as a weak disturbance starts to approach from the west. That system may produce a few showers on Monday, but temperatures will remain mild.

Thursday night: Increasing clouds. Low 51-58.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, becoming breezy. High 65-72.

Friday night: Cloudy and windy with showers developing near the coast, some steadier and heavier rain across Cape Cod. Low 54-61.

Saturday: Windy with rain and showers ending around midday, skies may start to clear out late in the day. High 65-72.

Saturday night: Clearing with diminishing winds. Low 53-60.

Sunday: Sunshine and some afternoon clouds, still breezy in the morning. High 72-79.

Sunday night: Becoming partly to mostly cloudy. Low 55-62.

Monday: Intervals of clouds and sun with a chance for a few showers. High 71-78.