Seems like the forces are aligning against us over the next few days. A front will grind to a halt as it enters New England from the west, onshore breezes will carry the low clouds and fog in from the ocean, and the humidity will thicken to point where it may be stifling at times.
Sounds like the makings for a good weekend, right?
Well, I still don’t think it’s totally washed out. Just not as bright and hot as the last few days.
So let’s take it from the top. Gradual cooling is still in the forecast in the coming days. No, the humidity won’t drop, but it won’t feel chilly and raw when the rain comes either.
Thing that struck me this afternoon was the fact that we have transitioned into a fully tropical airmass. That means we’re like Florida right now (minus the Miami Beach-like sand and tiled roofs) with tropical downpours a threat and a promise given the right setup.
And that setup includes the arrival of the aforementioned front. As its forward speed slows to a crawl Friday night and Saturday, the stage is set for heavy rain and possible storms. Won’t take much to kick off the downpours. The issue becomes how long they sit over your particular town or city. Without much to push them along in the upper atmosphere, we could be seeing inches of rain in a very localized spot.
Sunday tries to see these showers and storms move away, but I think they’ll just reconstitute themselves and continue wandering. With upper level winds finally picking up speed, we should be able to move things out on Monday.
People have been asking me about the "real relief" in the humidity in the coming days. Folks, that’s really not in the cards at all. There are signs that in about a week we could have some less humid air pushing into New England.
Until then, keep the AC and dehumidifier plugged in.
Pete