All Blocked Up
It's the final day of April and the Omega Block is locked in place so that means high air pressure will continue to govern our weather not only for today but also right through the rest of this week into much of next week which is the first 8-10 days of May! The high and low temperatures will be duplicated in almost all areas for the next 3 days followed by much cooler weather on Friday with a warmup after that. This ho-hum weather is rather boring for some but enjoyable for many. I am loving it because it is perfect for most outside sports and work activities. My wish is that this weather would last all summer long! What is your preference? The downside is the deepening dryness raising the fire danger and maintaining the high pollen counts.
Much of the mid-level cloudiness that poked into the western half of New England late yesterday and last night will erode and burn off this morning so most of the region will be basking in plentiful sunshine much of this day except over VT and perhaps far northern NH where building clouds trigger a few scattered showers this afternoon. With a flat pressure gradient, a light southeasterly wind will prevail and freshen up to 8-12 mph along the coast. Consequently, the temperature will reach the lower 60s close to the coast then fall back just a tad during the afternoon while farther inland, it warms to the upper 60s to lower 70s. The balmiest locations will be western Middlesex County into northern Worcester County into interior southern NH with maximum readings of 71-74. There is a chance that a deck of low clouds will roll in over Cape Cod and perhaps Plymouth County later tonight into early tomorrow.
Expect similar conditions on Thursday until later in the afternoon or early evening when a backdoor cold front will be settling southwestward across the Gulf of ME associated with a bundle of atmospheric energy. This disturbance could trigger a few spotty showers as the front nears and passes and that may be followed by a batch of low cloudiness and patchy mist Thursday night into early Friday. A reinforcing stronger high pressure system will be building toward New England from the Canadian Maritimes. As the pressure rises rather rapidly Thursday night into Friday, it will become blustery with a gusty northeasterly wind of 12-28 mph. Chillier air will flow in from the northeast so it will only warm up to near 50 along the coast with upper 50s to near 60 well inland on Friday. It should become sunny most areas Friday but there is a risk that low clouds may linger over Cape Cod into early Saturday before vanishing.
Looking ahead, this replacement zone of high pressure will get locked in over New England this weekend into much of next week. The wind will become light again through that period supporting daily sea breezes of 8-12 mph for several days. The air aloft will be warming up so I expect temperatures to rise well into the 70s away from the ocean as next week unfolds. The blocking pattern may loosen later next week enabling a cold frontal boundary with a band of showers from the west to penetrate closer to the region late next week. Without any widespread and steadier rainfall to cleanse the atmosphere, the pollen count will remain high right into the middle of next week.
Todd Gutner will post a blog early this evening and I shall return with an update early tomorrow morning.
Make it a great day!
