Think Warm Thoughts!
It's a beautiful February morning but, oh ya, the calendar says it is April 3. What gives? The jet stream continues to escort cold air into the Northeast from Canada but there is an end in sight to this pattern. So hang in there a wee bit longer and you will be rewarded with more comfortable conditions. Yesterday's max of 42 was 10 degrees below the average for April 2 and 20 degrees lower than Monday's 62 but I think the highs have bottomed out and we're on the uptick now. Therefore, I am expecting a few degrees higher today with Boston bumping up to 46. With a much drier atmosphere in place, there should be just a few streamers of wispy clouds and only a few puffy clouds visible unlike yesterday's cargo of clouds. The wind, however, will become just as gusty as yesterday with some spikes to 35 or more mph. Gradually, the pressure gradient will relax so the wind will simmer down tonight and freshen only to 12-22 mph tomorrow. At that time, amidst bright uninterrupted sunshine, it will back to the southwest and haul up some milder air with afternoon highs in the lower to middle 50s.
A blossoming batch of rain is emerging from the Gulf of Mexico as a wave of low pressure develops over Louisiana this morning. This system will track northeastward and exit the Mid-Atlantic coastal region later tomorrow night on its way out to sea. The northern fringe of its rain shield could clip the lower Cape and the Islands for a couple of hours later Friday morning and ending by mid-afternoon Friday. The rest of the region will remain dry and sunshine will expand southeastward across the Boston area later in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise to the upper 40s on Cape Cod to the middle to upper 50s north and west of Boston.
Over the weekend, high pressure will build into the Northeast providing brilliant uninterrupted sunshine for the most part with highs in the lower 50s on Saturday then rising to the upper 50s on Sunday. However, a sea breeze will set in Saturday afternoon knocking temperatures back to the middle to upper 40s along the coast. That onshore breeze will check coastal readings to the upper 40s to near 50 on Sunday.
Looking ahead, as the steering currents change, much warmer air will be on our doorstep. The one huge caveat is the position of a cold front across New England. If it remains draped across the northern mountains, it will warm up significantly through the 60s on Monday and past 70 on Tuesday. I am not confident on the placement of this important frontal boundary and there is big bust potential especially regarding temperature associated with the front. For the home opener at Fenway Park Monday afternoon as the Red Sox take on the Orioles, I am currently predicting partly sunny weather with the temperature in the range of 55-60. If the wind is more southerly, it could be warmer but it looks like a southeasterly breeze may win and that is a flow of air in from the cold ocean. On Tuesday, a feeble sea breeze could restrict the temperatures near the coast but inland readings of 70 or higher are possible. After that, it appears the backdoor front will slip south and a cold, moist breeze in from the ocean will make it raw and chilly with highs in the 40s next Wednesday through Friday with some spells of rain, mist and fog. The ocean can be your friend but for nice spring weather, it can also be your foe!
On this date in 1974, a "Super Outbreak" of 148 tornadoes struck 13 states from Georgia to the Canadian border! 315 people were killed and 6,100 were injured. This barrage is most remebered for its total destruction of Brandenburg, KY and more than half of Xenia, OH.
Todd Gutner posts a fresh blog late this afternoon or early evening and I shall return tomorrow morning.
Make it a great day!
