The autumnal equinox occurs at 10:49 this morning and, believe it or not, this is the earliest start to fall since 1896! So we must all say goodbye to summer again. How was your summer and does it seem to speed by faster than any other season? After a hot and muggy but not record-breaking summer, I am looking forward to the crisp air and the beautiful fall colors here in New England. I guarantee that the foliage will be much more vibrant than last year’s disappointing display. Several chilly nights have already propelled the color change into gear with peak colors anticipated over the far northern mountains from late next week into the first week of October. Check out the NH Foliage Tracker and the Vermont Foliage Report.

The waning hours and minutes of summer are dismal and damp this morning as a batch of low-level moisture resulted in a relatively thin deck of clouds at a height under 1000 feet. Many areas received periodic mist in the early morning hours but with an absence of storm clouds above, the weaker September sunshine will go to work and eventually burn off this junk. Expect clearing to commence in central MA with brightening spots elsewhere by the equinox trending to more and more sunshine by midday into the afternoon. With the arrival of some sunshine, it will warm up to the upper 60s along the coast to 72-75 farther inland. The weather will be cooperative for fans attending football games or going to the afternoon Red Sox/Orioles game at Fenway Park. A persistent North Atlantic block is beginning to unravel so the stuck frontal zone just offshore will be kicked away by an approaching stronger cold front from the Great Lakes. The offshore front actually backed in over the coastal plain yesterday with its attendant cloudiness and even some light showers over Cape Cod. The front on the way from the west will spike a solid swath of showers with embedded lightning and thunder across NY later today with the action transiting into western New England by mid-evening. As support decreases, the line will become broken so only scattered locations will get a brief shower in eastern sections after midnight. The boundary will pass offshore by dawn with sunshine and patches of clouds for tomorrow. The air will become crisp and dry with a pleasant breeze and highs ranging from the upper 60s to near 70 in Worcester County and the Monadnock Region to the lower 70s or so closer to Boston and southeastern MA.

Looking ahead, most of the upcoming week should be decent with sunny weather much of the time. There could be some patches of clouds Monday morning as the next disturbance passes through and a chunk of chillier air pushes in. After middle to upper 60s Monday then back down to 40-45 Monday night, it will warm up and be milder with highs in the lower 70s on Tuesday then middle 70s on Wednesday. A ridge of high pressure will build south of New England setting up the balmier southwesterly breeze on both of those days. The next cold front will settle southeastward from Canada creating some clouds late Wednesday then a risk of a few spotty showers Wednesday night. Generally sunny and cooler weather with highs in the middle to upper 60s follows Thursday and Friday as another high pressure system moves from the Great Lakes into the Northeast.

If any new data warrants any change in the above scenario, I will post a fresh update with any necessary revisions early this evening. Otherwise, Joe Joyce will offer his thoughts and AccuWeather Forecast tomorrow morning and I shall follow later in the day.

Have a happy and safe weekend.