Weekend Preview
Yesterday's temperature profile was duplicated across most of the region today. There were several stations on the WBZ Weatherbug Network at or slightly above the 90 degree mark again. For instance, Pepperell maxed out at 92 for the 22nd day this season of 90-degree heat! It was cooler in the upper 70s to lower 80s along the immediate coast. A few isolated renegade showers and storms rumbled north of I-90 and west of I-495 this afternoon but that action has dwindled while the main axis of activity remains busy over upstate NY into central and northern VT into northern NH and western ME. This convection is associated with the frontal boundary in that region. Meantime, a low pressure system crossing the Great Lakes is swinging batches of showers and boomers from parts of OH into PA and NY. Eventually, an upper air impulse will crank out some showers and storms over eastern PA, NJ and NY and they will be steered into much of southern New England including southeastern MA and parts of Cape Cod late tomorrow and especially tomorrow night into early Saturday. Expect some real tropical downpours to occur with plentiful lightning in places with only isolated wind damage possible. Prior to that happening, a few more scattered showers and boomers will erupt north of I-90 and west of I-495 tomorrow afternoon. With the very humid to oppressive air in place now through Saturday night, it will become rather stifling and stuffy again as the southerly breeze becomes very light. Some areas of fog may form late tonight and agian tomorrow night then burn off first thing each following morning. As the deepening trough approaches from the west, the blobs of showers and storms will be pushed offshore. There is some uncertainty regarding the timing of this push. There is disparity amongst the mathematical meteorological models regarding the exact period this wet weather shifts offshore. Some guidance is now retarding the movement resulting in lingering showers over southeastern MA Sunday morning. Although I am not nearly as convinced this evening that the action will translate offshore tomorrow evening, I will be optimistic that it will peel away later tomorrow night followed by the development of sunshine early Sunday except on Cape Cod where lingering cloudiness may exist to midday Sunday with the ribbon of rain just offshore. It could be a close call.
Looking ahead, assuming the frontal boundary doesn't decelerate until its offshore, I am still predicting delightful weather Sunday afternoon through most of Tuesday afternoon. The air will be less humid but not super dry. There is an absence of really cool air behind the front so middle 80s are likely as the sun shines brightly until Tuesday afternoon when cloudiness will be increasing from the west. The next trough of low pressure will arrive from the Midwest late Tuesday night resulting in some showers and scattered boomers next Wednesday into Thursday.
We will be monitoring the tropics closely in the weeks ahead as the peak of the hurricane season approaches. Presently, there are several systems worth keeping a CBS eye on. Ernesto is weakening over Mexico and a new tropical depression way out in the Atlantic is destined to grow into Tropical Storm Gordon in the next 24 hours. For more details, check out the National Hurricane Center.
Melissa Mack delivers her AccuWeather Forecast in the morning and I shall return later in the day for the vacationing Todd Gutner.
Make it a great Friday!
