Coastal storm hit (some of) us good.

Cape Cod was doused with rain and wind throughout the day. As the smoke cleared and the dust settled, we found some spots closed in on 2-3 inches! Elsewhere, the rain amounted to 1-2 inches up the South Shore.

Then there was this gap. A quarter of an inch in Andover, Concord, Stoneham…and just over a tenth of an inch in Natick. 

Wait, what?

I’m not finished. We found rainfall amounts again closing in on an inch in Lunenburg and Pepperell, then it dropped off again to the north and west.

Odd storm? Very. Predictable? Not until the last minute, really. 

Storms of this nature can throw a lot of punches. Dropouts in the rain coverage can be a major issue when you try to forecast precipitation amounts. Unfortunately, we use these precipitation forecasts to make snow forecasts. Had this been a snowstorm, it would have been a huge bust…at least for some.

And indeed, we have seen this happen in major nor’easters and blizzards. Usually the spread is not as abrupt, however, so there is often more wiggle room when the flakes fly.

Nonetheless, I chalk this one up as an pre-winter reminder to stay on my toes when these storms creep near New England.

Onward to the next event. Right now, it’s a major severe weather producer in the Midwest. With it’s arrival in New England tomorrow afternoon (on a breakneck pace), we’re looking at a renewal in the rain…not hail, high winds and tornadoes.    

In its wake, the sun will return for Friday and the weekend. Gusty winds will send in the chill by Saturday, with some recovery on Sunday. 

Since the pattern hasn’t changed, we’ll resume the mild weather next week…and be leery of any storms brewing on the (very) distant horizon.

Pete

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