It looks like October (I think), but it feels like September! I spent the afternoon/evening in Salem yesterday to spook up some festive thoughts a week and a half before Halloween. It was a GREAT time but I found myself wanting a crisp, cold apple cider on a patio in the sunshine – rather than craving some hot cider from inside of a warm building looking out. It is a little confusing to see the pumpkins sweltering in 70° temps. If you’re enjoying this prolonged summer, you’re in luck. We’ll get even warmer into the weekend. At least there won’t be any humidity. The drier the air, the larger the range in daily temps; so we’ll be enjoying cool overnights and warm afternoons.
With mainly clear skies and low humidity over the next couple of nights, not only will it cool down efficiently at night, it’ll give us an opportunity to see some shooting stars. Also, the New Moon was yesterday – which means the night sky will be at its darkest. The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks tonight and Saturday night around 20 shooting stars per hour as debris from Halley’s Comet hits our atmosphere.
The weekend forecast doesn’t look like October – but it does look fantastic for any outdoor activities. Chris Lambert even put together the weekend beach forecast, because “why not?!” Expect 60s for the Cape and islands – warm sunshine, and a very low risk of a quick sunburn (sun angle is quite low this time of year). The theme of warm afternoons and dry air continues through the weekend, allowing for a warm Head of the Charles as well as great tailgating weather at Gillette. The weather “up north” looks good too for you leaf peepers with highs near 70 there after starting each morning in the 30s and 40s. As I mentioned earlier this afternoon in one of my forecasts; if I had the weekend free from work, I would go to Hampton Beach and then do some apple pickin’ at Applecrest Orchards just up the road from the beach! The best of all worlds. Thanks, New England! :c)
While the current pattern has been warm and dry, the shift in the jet stream will drive a cooler and wetter pattern in across the eastern third of the country early next week. We do stay warm Monday and Tuesday, but as humidity increases by Tuesday, so will the risk for a few showers. A better chance of rain, and perhaps a soaking rain, runs in here Tuesday night and Wednesday with showers perhaps lingering into Thursday. Although the rain will be heavy at times, a good 1-3″ of water across much of New England will be welcomed news thanks to the last few months being dry for a good chunk of the area. In fact, over 30% of southern New England is back in a moderate drought.
For now, enjoy this “flashback to summer” this weekend! – Breezy