Welcome To April
It's April so warmer weather has to be just around the corner, right? Well, not so fast, you know what spring is usually like here in New England. Many years we jump from winter right into summer. In all honesty, I would prefer to have spring last through August then skip right into fall after that. I think there was a time many decades ago when I enjoyed summer but I look forward to the other 3 seasons of the year instead. I suspect that I am in the minority here but I do know many folks who feel the same way. Whatever, we have to take what we get and I am just thankful that I do not live down south and have to put up with the searing heat so much of the year. What is your favorite season?
Despite the beginning of April, the high temperatures the next couple of days will be more like early March as a chunk of chill rushes into te region late today. Following last night's rain and ahead of an approaching strong cold front, it should warm up to the upper 50s to lower 60s today. A wave of low pressure tracked up over southeastern MA and is now churning toward the central ME coast this morning. It's a race against time to dry out the lower levels of the atmosphere this morning to break up the low cloud cover to reveal some sunshine before the frontal band arrives this afternoon. Assuming that will take place, the warmup will ensue and it will peak out near 62 in Boston before some scattered showers and boomers arrive. Some of these showers and storms will be briefly heavy with strong gusty winds. With the frontal passage, the wind could spike to 40-50 mph! It will continue blustery through the night with frequent gusts to 20-30 mph as the temperature dives to the upper 20s to near 30. Expect a rise only to the lower 40s tomorrow as sunshine yields to varying amounts of passing puffy clouds from especially midday on. The wind will occasionally gust to 30-35 mph then it will slacken a bit tomorrow night with another fall-off to the 20s. The wind will freshen again to 15-35 mph on Wednesday as the sunshine is interrupted by fewer clouds and the temperatures recover to the lower to middle 40s.
Looking ahead, a ridge of high pressure will be building to the south of the region setting up a southwesterly wind here on Thursday. As a result, after a cold start in the 20s to near 30, it will warm up to the lower 50s for the afternoon highs. Meantime, a system in the southern stream will be gathering Gulf of Mexico moisture and that will be spreading northeastward but it is unclear if the shield of rain will be steered mainly out to sea and effect extreme southern sections with some light rain or drive deeper into New England with heavier rain over a larger area. Presently, I am leaning toward a slight clipping of rain over southeastern sections. Once that exits, Saturday will turn from mostly cloudy early to mostly sunny in the afternoon as the brisk northerly wind decreases during the day. Next Sunday looks nice right now with a ridge of high pressure over the Northeast resulting in a cooler sea breeze along the coast.
On this date in 1997, we were digging out of the April Fool's Blizzard which dumped 25.4" of snow on Boston and most of the region! Much of it fell in a 12-hour period and it was a waterlogged, high density snow causing excessive damage to trees and knocking out power over much of the region.
Todd Gutner posts a fresh blog late this afternoon or early this evening.
Make it a great day!
