Weekend Outlook

Weekend Outlook: July 28-31, 2023

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We’ve got a little bit of everything this weekend – severe weather, heat and humidity, and a return to cooler and drier weather. Let’s get right to the details.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 8pm. Image provided by NOAA.

We’re starting things off on an active note, with a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for most of the region, except Cape Cod and the Islands, until 8pm. A vigorous upper-level disturbance is moving toward the region, and it has already triggered some showers and thunderstorms. They’ll become a bit more widespread as the afternoon wears on while moving generally eastward towards the area. Some of the stronger storms may produce hail, strong winds, heavy downpours that could lead to flash flooding, and possibly a tornado or two. With the potential for some heavy rain, a Flood Watch is also in effect for a good portion of the area. Activity should wind down and move offshore before midnight, leaving us with a warm and muggy night, with many spots not dropping below 70. Friday looks to be a very warm to hot day with moderate to high humidity for much of the region. High temperatures will likely approach or exceed 90 in many locations, except for the immediate South Coast. The combination of heat and humidity will send the heat index well into the 90s, so a Heat Advisory has also been issued. Friday night will be another warm and muggy night, leading into Saturday, which is the transition day.

The heat index will be in the middle to upper 90s in many areas Friday afternoon. Images provided by WeatherBell.

Saturday will start off with some sunshine, along with very warm and humid conditions, but a strong cold front will be moving toward the region. Depending on how quickly the clouds move in, some spots could reach 90 by midday, especially south of the Mass Pike. We’ll have some showers and thunderstorms developing ahead of the front by early afternoon, and again, the threat is there for some severe weather, as well as heavy rainfall, so Flood Watches will likely be issued once again. Showers and storms end with the passage of the cold front at night, then a much cooler and drier airmass settles in for Sunday and Monday. Dewpoints will drop into the 50s, and temperatures will only be in the upper 70s and lower 80s for highs both days. With night time lows dropping into the 50s in many spots Sunday night, you’ll be able to turn off the air conditioner and open the windows in your dwelling. This airmass may hang around for a good chunk of the week, with one model showing the potential for a few spots to drop into the upper 40s Wednesday morning. We’ll have a closer look at that in our Weekly Outlook early Monday morning.

Lows could drop into the 50s in many locations Monday morning. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

Thursday night: Showers and thunderstorms, some strong to severe during the evening, ending by midnight, then skies clear out. Low 67-74.

Friday: Sunny, hot, and fairly humid. High 86-93.

Friday night: Clear skies, clouds start to filter in late at night. Low 68-75.

Saturday: Some morning sun, then becoming mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms developing by early afternoon, some could be strong. High 84-91.

Saturday night: Showers and thunderstorms end during the evening, some clearing late at night. Low 60-67.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 74-81.

Sunday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 56-63.

Monday: Sunshine and a few clouds. High 75-82.

Weekend Outlook: July 21-24, 2023

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We’ve actually got some nice weather coming up for the weekend, unlike the last several weekends across the region.

Most of the region has received between 5 and 12 inches of rain over the past 30 days. Image provided by WeatherBell.

A warm front will move toward the region tonight, spreading in some clouds, and possibly a shower or two. A cold front will move toward the region on Friday, with plenty of clouds, and some showers and thunderstorms, though it looks like they may hold off until late in the day, more likely during the evening and at night. The front pushes offshore early Saturday, with skies gradually clearing during the day. Temperatures will remain on the warm side, but as high pressure settles in, humidity levels will drop. The high then remains in control for Sunday and Monday with sunshine, warm temperatures, and moderate humidity levels.

Dewpoints in the 50s Sunday afternoon? A much-welcome change from the past couple of weeks. Images provided by Weathermodels.com

Thursday night: Partly cloudy this evening, then clouds move in overnight, just a slight chance for a shower. Low 61-68.

Friday: Plenty of clouds with showers likely thunderstorms developing late in the day. High 75-82, coolest along the coast.

Friday night: Showers and storms taper off in the evening, some late-night clearing. Low 61-68.

Saturday: Gradual clearing. High 78-85.

Saturday night: Clear skies. Low 60-67.

Sunday: Lots of sunshine. High 80-87.

Sunday night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 61-68.

Monday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 81-88.

Weekend Outlook: July 14-17, 2023

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Another summer weekend, another upper-level low impacting our weather.

You’ve heard this from us plenty of times, but the pattern just hasn’t changed much. We’ve got a blocking pattern in place across Greenland, with a trough of low pressure, often times a closed low, setting up shop over the Midwest. These lows slowly drift eastward, and as they move out, we get a couple of nice days before the next trough/low drops into the Midwest. As disturbances rotate around those troughs, they help to trigger showers and thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. At least we’re on the warm side of the troughs, with southwest flow aloft, meaning it’s warm and humid most of the time. Consider yourselves lucky, in places on the other side of the trough, like the Northern and Central Plains, not only have the last few weeks been quite wet, temperatures have been well below normal.

Temperatures have been well below normal across the nation’s midsection so far in July. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

In terms of what we can expect around here, well, expect some showers and thunderstorms to develop each day, mainly during the afternoon hours, and they should diminish after sunset. These storms will be most widespread on Friday and again on Sunday as disturbances rotate through the region. Any storms that develop may produce heavy rainfall, which could trigger flooding, especially with the ground quite wet across much of the region. Temperatures will be mainly in the upper 70s and 80s during the day, but it will remain humid.

Some locally heavy rainfall is possible over the next few days. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, some showers and thunderstorms possible during the evening. Low 67-74.

Friday: Plenty of clouds, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly from late morning into the afternoon. Some of the storms may produce heavy rain and gusty winds. High 78-85.

Friday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, showers taper off in the evening. Low 65-72.

Saturday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine, a few showers and storms possible in the afternoon. High 80-87.

Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, chance for a few showers. Low 67-74.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, breezy, showers and thunderstorms likely, some may produce heavy rain. High 76-83.

Sunday night: Plenty of clouds, showers end in the evening. Low 66-73.

Monday: A mix of sun and clouds, chance for a few showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 82-89.

Weekend Outlook: July 7-10, 2023

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The first half of the weekend looks rather nice, but the second half not so much. Either way, the humidity is going anywhere anytime soon.

Dewpoints will be near or above 70 for the next several days. Loop provided by Pivotal Weather.

Another upper-level low pressure system will settle into the Great Lakes over the next few days, keeping us on the warm and humid side. We’ll stay dry for the most part on Friday and Saturday, aside from a few pop-up showers and thunderstorms each afternoon, mainly across the interior. Temperatures may reach 90 in many areas again on Friday, but as winds become more southerly on Saturday temperatures will be a few degrees cooler, but still well into the 80s in many areas, A frontal system will slowly move toward the region this weekend, and by Sunday it should be close enough to spread more clouds in. A wave of low pressure will develop along the front in the Mid-Atlantic states and ride it northward, bringing us more widespread showers and thunderstorms later Sunday and again on Monday, some of which could be locally heavy, again they’ll be most numerous across the interior.

Rainfall has been above normal across the region since early June. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: Clear to partly cloudy with areas fog developing. Low 65-72.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds, slight chance for an afternoon shower or thunderstorm, mainly well north and west of Boston. High 83-90, a little cooler at the coast.

Friday night: Partly to mostly cloudy with some patchy fog. Low 65-72.

Saturday: Partly sunny, chance for an afternoon shower or thunderstorm, again mostly well north and west of Boston. High 80-87, a little cooler at the coast.

Saturday night: Plenty of clouds, fog possible again. Low 64-71.

Sunday: More clouds than sun with afternoon showers and thunderstorms, especially across the interior. High 77-84.

Sunday night: Mostly cloudy, chance for a few showers. Low 64-71.

Monday: Intervals of clouds and sun with scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 76-83.

Tropical Update + Weekend Outlook: June 23-26, 2023

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The first weekend of summer is not going to feature much, if any sunshine, but it will be warm and humid. Meanwhile, the tropics are in mid-summer mode.

Dewpoints will be near or just above 70 across the region Saturday afternoon. Image provided by WeatherBell.

As has been the case for the past couple of months, an upper-level low will be the main driver of our weather for the next few days as it lifts northward from the Tennessee Valley into the eastern Great Lakes and then across the Northeast. Low pressure at the surface will send a warm front our way, spreading lots of clouds in tonight, with a noticeable increase in humidity on Friday as the front moves through. The front may be accompanied by a few showers and thunderstorms, but it won’t be a washout. Showers and thunderstorms may be a little more numerous on Saturday, and some of them could be locally heavy. More showers and thunderstorms are possible on Sunday as the system moves across the region and off to the east. So, things improve on Monday, right? Try again. Another upper-level low moves into the Midwest, which means unsettled conditions continue, with some additional showers and thunderstorms, and this pattern may persist for a good chunk of next week. Keep in mind, that even though there are showers and thunderstorms in the forecast every day, each day shouldn’t be a washout. They’ll be most likely during the afternoon and evening each day, but it doesn’t mean they’ll cover the entire area.

Despite the showers and storms forecast each day this weekend, most of the models are not showing an excessive amount of rainfall. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Meanwhile, in the tropics, things have gotten active. Thanks to sea surface temperatures more reminiscent of late August than late June, two tropical systems have developed from waves moving off the African coast. We usually don’t see storms of this type begin to develop until late July or August, and to have two of them in June is extremely rare. The more immediate concern is Tropical Storm Bret. As of 2pm Thursday, Bret was centered about 45 miles east-northeast of Barbados, moving toward the west at 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 65 mph. Barbados has already reported wind gusts as high as 52 mph. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect for many of the islands in the Lesser Antilles. Bret has likely peaked in intensity, but it will bring very squally conditions to the islands as it moves through later today and tonight. Once it moves into the eastern Caribbean on Friday, increasing wind shear will begin to rip the system apart, and it should weaken and degenerate into a tropical wave over the weekend as it moves into the central Caribbean.

As Bret approaches the Lesser Antilles, the wind shear is evident as most of the thunderstorm activity is displaced east of the center. Loop provided by NOAA.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Four has developed in the Central Atlantic. As of 11am Thursday, it was centered about 1270 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, moving toward the west-northwest at 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph. This system should strengthen into Tropical Storm Cindy over the next day or so, and will continue to strengthen through Saturday. However, after that, increasing wind shear will begin to take its toll on this system as well, and it will begin to weak. The track should bring in more toward the northwest with time, meaning it will stay over the open waters of the Central Atlantic, and not impact any land areas.

None of the models show TD 4 as a threat to any land areas over the next 3-5 days. Image provided by Tropical Tidbits.

Thursday night: Becoming mostly cloudy with areas of fog likely, a shower or two is possible. Low 54-61.

Friday: Partly to mostly cloudy, much more humid, chance for a few showers, mainly across the interior. High 74-81.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy, a shower is possible, mainly during the evening. Low 62-69.

Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy, showers and thunderstorms expected in the afternoon. High 75-82.

Saturday night: Plenty of clouds, a few showers around. Low 62-69.

Sunday: Clouds with some sunny breaks, more showers and thunderstorms possible. High 78-85.

Sunday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, some additional showers likely, especially during the evening. Low 61-68.

Monday: Partly to mostly cloudy with more showers and thunderstorms likely. High 77-84.

Weekend Outlook: June 16-19, 2023

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We’ve got good news and bad news. Good news: the 4-day period this forecast encompasses won’t be half bad. Bad news: the 4-day period this forecast encompasses will be half bad.

Friday is the pick of the weekend with temperatures topping 80 in much of the region. Image provided by WeatherBell.

We start off with high pressure in control tonight and early Friday with dry and seasonably mild conditions. Low pressure sends a warm front our way on Friday, with more clouds in the afternoon along with more humid air, and eventually, some showers and thunderstorms by evening. The low pressure system will take it’s time moving across the region as it will be accompanied by yet another upper-level low, which means Saturday will feature occasional showers and thunderstorms and cooler temperatures. The showers will likely continue into early Sunday before tapering off, but with the low only slowly departing, clouds will remain for much of the day. We should see some improvement on Monday, but with that upper-level low nearby, we could see a few pop-up showers in the afternoon.

Many of the models are showing quite a bit of rain around here this weekend. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Clear skies. Low 56-63.

Friday: Sunshine in the morning then clouds start to increase along with humidity levels, showers and thunderstorms possible by evening. High 77-84.

Friday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 56-63.

Saturday: Cloudy with occasional showers and some bouts of steadier rain, a few thunderstorms possible as well. High 62-69.

Saturday night: Plenty of clouds with a few more showers likely. Low 52-59.

Sunday: Showers taper off in the morning, mostly cloudy in the afternoon with a few breaks of sun possible. High 63-70.

Sunday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 51-58.

Monday: Partly sunny, a shower is possible during the afternoon. High 66-73.

Weekend Outlook: June 9-12, 2023

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Some improvement to our weather is coming this weekend, but it won’t last that long.

The first week of June has been a cool one across the Northeast, especially near the coast. Image provided by the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

The upper-level low pressure area that has kept us cloudy and cool with occasional showers for the past several days will gradually lift out over the weekend. It will remain nearby on Friday with more clouds, some additional showers and possibly a few thunderstorms. With cold air aloft, any thunderstorms that form could produce some small hail. By Saturday, the upper-level low finally starts to move out, but it will remain close enough to produce a few more showers, especially during the first half of the day. With the low moving out, some of the smoke from the wildfires in Canada maystart to drift back into the region, resulting in hazy conditions, but for now at least, it doesn’t look anywhere near as bad as what New York has had for the past few days. High pressure builds in for Saturday night and Sunday with drier and warmer weather, but we’ll still have the smoke and haze to deal with. By Monday, another low pressure system begins to approach from the west, but it looks like any showers associated with it will hold off until late in the day or at night. This system may bring in a much-needed soaking rain for Tuesday, but we’ll wait until it gets closer for a more definitive look at that.

Sunday is the definitely the pick of the weekend. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 45-52.

Friday: Plenty of clouds with a few sunny breaks, some showers and thunderstorms will develop in the afternoon. A few storms may produce small hail. High 61-68.

Friday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, showers and storms taper off in the evening. Low 47-54.

Saturday: Morning clouds and a few showers, some sunshine develops in the afternoon, but it could be dimmed by haze and smoke. High 65-72, coolest along the coast.

Saturday night: Clear to partly cloudy, hazy. Low 49-56.

Sunday: Morning hazy sunshine, clouds start to move in during the afternoon. High 74-81, coolest along the coast.

Sunday night: Becoming partly to mostly cloudy. Low 53-60.

Monday: Plenty of clouds with showers possible late in the day, breezy. High 74-81.

Weekend Outlook: June 2-5, 2023

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All good things must come to an end, and that includes our recent stretch of dry and warm weather.

Some record highs are possible across the interior on Friday. Image provided by WeatherBell.

We’ve got one more warm to hot day on Friday before a backdoor cold front brings an end to the warm weather party. The front will be accompanied by showers and possibly a few thunderstorms, then once it sags southward, gusty northeast winds will usher much cooler air into the region for Saturday. In fact, the cooler air will hang around through the weekend and into Monday. The other forecast issue is an offshore low pressure system, and how close it gets to New England, which will have an impact on the forecast for later Sunday and Monday. Right now, we’re thinking that it stays far enough offshore to have little impact on most of the region, though it may be close enough for some showers across eastern Massachusetts. We’re not expecting a washout unless something changes significantly.

Some models bring rain into parts of eastern Massachusetts Sunday and Monday, some don’t. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Clear to partly cloudy, fog possible near the South Coast. Low 57-64, a little cooler near the South Coast.

Friday: Morning sun, then increasing clouds with showers and possibly some thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening. High 78-85 near the coast, 86-93 across the interior.

Friday night: Cloudy and breezy with showers likely. Low 47-54.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy and quite breezy and lingering showers end in the morning, some sunny breaks may develop late in the day. High 56-63, coolest near the coast.

Saturday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 42-49.

Sunday: Intervals of clouds and sun, chance for some showers across eastern Massachusetts, breezy. High 55-62, a little cooler near the coast.

Sunday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, breezy, showers possible across eastern Massachusetts. Low 44-51.

Monday: More clouds than sun, again some showers are possible, mainly in eastern Massachusetts. High 61-68, coolest near the coast.

Finally, Hurricane Season began on Thursday, and at the end of our preview, we mentioned that the Atlantic was quiet. Well, that turned out to be incorrect. A cluster of thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico got organized enough on Thursday to be classified as Tropical Depression Two. The system is weak, though it has a chance to become a weak tropical storm on Friday, but it is expected to weaken and dissipate during the weekend, without impacting land. The thunderstorms from the system may end up producing heavy rain across parts of Cuba, Florida, and the Bahamas, but the system itself won’t do much.

Forecast track for Tropical Depression Two. Images provided by the National Hurricane Center.

Weekend Outlook: May 26-29, 2023

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Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start, and the weather couldn’t be much better than what we’ll have.

One thing we won’t have much of this weekend is clouds. Loop provided by Pivotal Weather.

High pressure will build in north of the region, and slowly drift eastward over the next few days. We’ll start off the weekend with a rather cool night tonight, but temperatures will moderate over the next few days, with Sunday and Monday likely to see 80s in many areas away from the coast. For the most part, we’ll have sunshine each day, though some high-level haze and smoke may drift through at times. We also need to keep an eye on a low pressure area off the Southeast coast. While the high to our north should block its northward progress, some high clouds on the northern fringe of it could reach the South Coast toward Sunday and Monday, which would be the only blemish on the weekend forecast.

Sunday looks like the warmest day of the weekend, with widespread 80s away from the coast. Images provided by WeatherBell.

Thursday night: Clear and cool. Low 40-47.

Friday: Mostly sunny, milder. High 65-72, cooler along the coast.

Friday night: Clear skies. Low 43-50.

Saturday: Plenty of sunshine, warmer. High 72-79, cooler near the South Coast and Cape Cod.

Saturday night: Clear skies. Low 48-55.

Sunday: More sunshine, a little breezy. High 79-86, cooler near the South Coast and Cape Cod.

Sunday night: Low 53-60.

Memorial Day: Sunshine and possibly some high clouds, a little breezy at times. High 74-81, a little cooler near the coast.

Weekend Outlook: May 19-22, 2023

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Some much-needed rain is coming this weekend, but don’t fret, it won’t ruin the entire weekend.

Record lows were set in numerous locations across the Northeast this morning, but temperatures will moderate over the next few days. Image provided by coolwx.com

Offshore high pressure remains in control for tonight and Friday, with dry and milder weather likely. We’ll still have smoke from wildfires in Canada dimming the sun at times on Friday, but overall it will be a nice day. Clouds will move in at night though as a pair of systems begin to head our way. A cold front will be moving in from the west, while a weak low pressure system moves up the East Coast. There are still some mixed signals with the coastal low for Saturday, which has a big impact on the forecast. Some models have that system send a batch of rain in for Saturday afternoon, others keep the rain either offshore, or confined to Cape Cod. We’re leaning towards the latter scenario at the moment. The cold front then moves through Saturday night with some showers along and ahead of it. High pressure then builds in for Sunday and Monday with dry and seasonably warm conditions, but we may still have some smoke drifting through, dimming the sun at times.

Many of the models are forecasting a bout of heavy rain this weekend, some keep the heavy rain to Cape Cod only. We’re leaning toward the latter. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Clear skies. Low 39-46.

Friday: Sunshine filtered through high-level smoke, clouds start to move in during the afternoon. High 66-73, a little cooler along the South Coast.

Friday night: Becoming mostly cloudy. Low 47-54.

Saturday: Cloudy and breezy with some showers likely. High 62-69.

Saturday night: Mostly cloudy with more showers, ending before daybreak. Low 52-59.

Sunday: Becoming partly sunny, smoke may filter the sun at times, breezy. High 69-76.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy. Low 47-54.

Monday: Plenty of sunshine, breezy. High 61-68, coolest near the coast.