Smoky skies in New England could bring 'extra special' sunset, followed by full Harvest Moon
By Terry Eliasen, WBZ-TV Executive Weather Producer
BOSTON - Got plans Friday night? No? Well let me make a suggestion!
Grab your favorite pumpkin beverage, a couple of friends and set up on your back patio or deck. Oh, and don't forget to bring the speaker and cue up a couple great tunes:
Smoke From a Distant Fire. . .
Harvest Moon. . .
Not only are we in for a gorgeous fall-like evening, but there are a few added bonuses!
7:04 p.m.
Friday night's sunset has a chance to be extra special. The smoke from the distant wildfires out west is forecast to reach our area via the jetstream later today. As it does so, you may notice a bit of a hue or haze in the air.
Many times, when there are extra particles (like smoke or dust) in the air in the evening, we get treated to a very vibrant reddish/orange sunset! No worries, there is no health hazard to the smoke plume. By the time it reaches our air it will be quite dispersed.
7:09 p.m.
The nearly full "Harvest (or Corn)" Moon rises in the east-southeast! I say "nearly full" because technically it isn't completely full until just before 6 a.m. Saturday - close enough. The Harvest Moon is one of the more famous and recognizable full moons of the year. The name is given to the full moon which comes closest to the autumnal equinox. In my mind, it is one of the first true signs of the arrival of the fall season.
And, again, thanks to the smoky haze, there is a chance that the moon could take on a reddish tint at times Friday night in parts of New England.
10 p.m.
Not done yet! A bit later this evening, when the moon has risen well above the horizon, it will appear a couple fist-lengths away from the planet Jupiter! Look to the left of the moon around 10 p.m., it will be the brightest object in that portion of the sky.
4:56 a.m.
For those looking for an all-nighter (or perhaps those early risers), the International Space Station will be flying overhead between 4:56 a.m.- 5:01 a.m. early Saturday morning. It will be heading from the west-northwest toward the southeast and will reach a maximum of 64 degrees above the horizon - a pretty good show!
Rest of the weekend
Saturday will be another terrific day, albeit a bit warmer and a tad more humid. I would expect lots of folks will be talking about the hazy skies from the smoke, especially in northern New England.
One thing of note on Saturday, if you are headed to the beaches, particularly along the South Coast, Cape Cod and the Islands, the wave action will be a bit rougher than normal. We are expecting 5-7 foot swells from the distant Hurricane Earl.
Sunday will feature more clouds than Saturday, but the chances of rain remain low. Looks like we get into another unsettled (wet) pattern early next week.
If you get any good sunset or Moon pics, please share them with us! Send them to weather@cbsboston.com