After Sunday Showers...A Brief Winter-Like Blast
A damp start to Sunday with a batch of showers...Light rain and drizzle.. associated with a weak short wave pushing through which is helping to provide the initial lift for the morning hours. The cut-off low, which has taken eight days to move through the country making all kinds of weather headlines, is finally beginning to push off the coast as it rides well south of New England. Still just enough lift may be in place that we could still see a few lingering light showers and drizzle into the afternoon, especially along the coast with light onshore East winds. Temps have started off in the 40's and will try to make a run to 50 by afternoon. In other words, temperatures are going nowhere today as we are locked into the clouds and damp conditions. A good indoor day.
Skies will begin to clear later tonight with lows dropping to near 40 by dawn. A dry cold front will push through Monday morning and temperatures will begin to fall through the day. An energized Polar jetstream will direct some of the coldest air we have seen since January into the northeast. These strong winds will mix down to the ground with NW winds gusting to 40+ by afternoon. Highs on Monday with sunny skies will be in the 40's to near 50, but falling into the lwr 40's by the end of the day with wind chills feeling much colder. Despite the cooling temps, relative humidities will be dropping as well with the gusty winds. The brush fire danger will remain elevated. Wind chills will remain in place Monday night as lows will drop into the 20's. Wind chills will feel in the teen and single digits by Dawn Tuesday! The feel of winter returns!
Tuesday will likely start off with a widespread frost/freeze despite the active wind. Very cold at the bus stop. Winds will not be as strong as Monday. Still a breezy and cold day...but winds will begin to diminish by Tuesday afternoon and evening. Highs will range from 40-45 degrees with bright sunshine. One of the few below normal days in this very mild stretch of weather this month. Temps are averaging close to 10 degrees above normal for the month...with just over an 1" of rainfall. A moderate drought has developed in SE MA. It is hard for a prolonged severe drought to develop in this region...but these dry conditions may start to take it's toll come the warmer months in the form of water bans.
Wednesday will again start off cold and frosty with most areas below freezing. With lighter winds...a better chance for frost forming. Winds will be shifting to the SW which will allow temps to climb to 50-55. Sunshine with high altitude clouds as another low will be approaching from the Great Lakes. This low will come with a risk of a brief shower late Wednesday with a better chance of a few showers into Thursday. With winds back over to the NE with cloud cover. I expect temps to remain similar to the water temps in the 40's near 50. Some of these showers may mix with wet snow in the higher elevations!
Drying and cool NW winds with building high pressure will make for some increasing sun for the weekend with seasonal temps in the 40's near 50. We are moving into an overall cooler and more active weather pattern. The NAO is finally taking a turn toward Neutral/Negative territory. This will allow for more cold shots and troughs in the Northeast. Will we see snow again? It is possible...I lean towards snow not happening again....but with spring in New England as we know it is always good to expect the unexpected.
