Pleasant day, tons of sun…we’re on easy street again. No big storms in sight, and certainly no numbing cold (how long can you hold out before you turn on the heat??).
You want a storm? Let me introduce you to the biggest, strongest tropical cyclone (what we call a hurricane here in the states) on the planet (and so far, for 2014). Vongfong peaked yesterday with sustained winds of 180mph! Today, it’s just below category 5 status with winds to 150mph.
(Thanks to Joe Witte at NASA for the image.)
Mighty, huh? Thankfully, it’s out over the open waters, and should weaken to cat. 3 and then 1 as it approaches the Japanese mainland. However, Okinawa is in the cross hairs for a moderate category 3 storm on Saturday.
Meantime, our weather is pretty benign. Friday is looking pretty nice, but a tad cooler thanks to a start in the 40s. Saturday, on the other hand is looking partly wet.
I say that because the second half of the day will feature drying as the storm move off Cape Cod. As is typical with these systems that scoot by to our south, the closer you are to the center, the better your chances of getting wet (and the heavier the rain). Check out the map to the right for specifics. I expect a speedy exit to the showers and a return to the sun across NH and Northern Mass by late AM/early PM. Elsewhere, it will take a few hours. Cape/Islands will be last to see the clearing…and that may come just as the sun goes down.
Like last weekend, Sunday will make good for Saturday. Highs near 60 with tons of sun. Hit up the fair in Topsfield, or go pick some apples…if there are any left.
Pete