Back To Reality

While the debut of autumn doesn't happen until 10:49am on the 22nd of this month, the unofficial ending of summer is taking place today. I've often thought of Labor Day as New Year's Day. It is really like a new beginning in so many ways especially in the academic world. Students are moving into a new level of learning and parents are dealing with all the associated changes ranging from their children entering school for the first time all the way up to shipping them off to college for the first time. It evokes a wide spectrum of emotions as does the weather. Overall, apparently the summer was fantastic for vacationers because I received very few complaints through much of the season. Many have claimed, however, in the past couple weeks that they were ready for a change to less humid and cooler weather. How about you?

The clouds will arrive overnight after we see some more moonshine from just before 9pm to about midnight or so. There could be fog formation in some areas and it will cool off to 60-65. As reality returns tomorrow, it will be generally cloudy with showers breaking out in places. You will notice an increase in the humidity as the temperatures max out in the lower to middle 70s with another day of easterly breezes along the coast. The moisture is emanating from the remnants of Isaac located in the Ohio Valley. Broken bands of showers will pin wheel into the Northeast tomorrow then blossom into some tropical downpours later tomorrow night and Wednesday. A weak wave of low pressure will transit across the region adding some lift to the tropical air mass in place resulting in some drenching rains and some lightning and thunder from place to place. This action will shift out of the area late Wednesday and we may start Thursday on the damp side but some burnoff will enable spells of sunshine with just a few spotty afternoon showers possible. This scenario repeats on Friday as the air stays rather humid. The wind will be light through that period with a sea breeze each day.

All this week, we'll be closely monitoring "Leslie". This tropical storm is currently centered about 585 miles south of Bermuda. It is barely moving right now and its motion will be sluggish over the next couple days. Interestingly, atmospheric blocking developing over the Atlantic is destined to force Leslie on a north-northwesterly track and the conditions will become very favorable for intensification. In fact, the latest projection places Leslie near Bermuda on Saturday as a Cat2 Hurricane! Its path later this weekend and the beginning of next week will determine what happens here in New England. Presently, the most reasonable solution depicts a sideswiping here with gusty northeasterly winds later Sunday and Monday. The spiral bands of rain could soak southeastern New England. It is too premature to be confident of the precise track and the stakes are high so please keep apprised of updates as the week progresses. The one certainty is that there will be building surf and rip currents by the end of the week. For more details, logon to the National Hurricane Center.

Melissa Mack delivers her AccuWeather Forecast in the morning and Todd Gutner follows later in the day.

Have a great week!