Weather

Fall Chill in the Air This Weekend

Both Saturday and Sunday nights will see a clear sky and lighter wind for frost into the valleys of southern New England

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New air from Canada will make for a bright, brisk weekend. It is also cleaner air, so the smoky sky is gone for a while.

Thanks to high pressure moving into New England from southern Ontario, we are 15 to 20 degrees cooler on Friday than we were on Thursday. Highs are near 60 degrees, with a steady north breeze at 10 to 20 mph adding a little extra chill. Clouds have been slow to break, but drier air is on the way.

The clearing sky Friday night will promote cooling, though a steady breeze means probably only the valleys of northern, central and western New England will find frost by dawn Saturday. But the stage will be set for a perceptible fall chill Saturday and Sunday, with lots of sun, but daytime highs not exceeding 60 degrees for most and a steady north and northeast breeze holding “feels like,” or ambient, temperatures in the 50s.

Both Saturday and Sunday nights will see a clear sky and lighter wind for frost into the valleys of southern New England away from the immediate coast. One trick for gardeners in areas predicted to fall into the middle 30s (above freezing, but cold enough for frost) is to spray garden plants down before bed. That coating of water and moisture in the soil may help to protect plants, but it’s important to note this approach fails if temperatures dip below freezing, as the water would freeze to ice.

It’s also worth noting that coastal communities typically vulnerable to coastal flooding will probably see some minor flooding at the high tides Friday night at midnight, Saturday at midday and maybe again early Sunday afternoon.

Early next week starts with more dry and cool weather, with no rain for our parched communities, where the updated drought status issued Thursday now places Rhode Island and southeastern Massacusetts into “extreme” drought – the second to worst possible drought category possible – with some of our viewers reporting that wells have run dry both near the South Coast of New England and in parts of central New Hampshire.

Major Hurricane Teddy and some of the remnant circulation of once-Hurricane Sally will merge over the Western Atlantic early next week, then begin to interact with the jet stream winds aloft, carrying plenty of energy and cool air from Canada.

This should set the stage for a major blow to Nova Scotia, and wind-driven rain may wrap into eastern Maine Tuesday. Right now it looks like most of the remainder of New England would not see rain but may see a busy wind and should see big waves pounding at the coast Tuesday into Wednesday.

The second half of next week brings milder air in our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast, with a chance of showers late Thursday into Friday ahead of what looks to be a great weekend next weekend.

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