New England is returning this weekend to a similar weather pattern that we started the week with: multiple disturbances aloft, raising the chance of scattered showers and thunder.
The transition out of our recent dry days is a gradual one, as it takes some time for moisture to increase in the atmosphere. But changes were already evident as soon as Friday morning, when clouds and sprinkles dropped south across New England.
Some sun will burn through the clouds Friday midday and afternoon, and this time of the year a little sun can go a long way. With a south and southwest wind not allowing a sea breeze to develop until late in the day, even our coastlines will warm to near 80 degrees during the afternoon.
Because moisture is still somewhat limited in the atmosphere, a Friday late-day disturbance may result in an isolated shower, but unlikely anything more significant.
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Overnight Friday night – particularly after midnight – a disturbance aloft coincides with a continuing influx of warmer and more moist air, which is often a favorable combination for showers to develop.
Our First Alert Team expects predawn showers sliding from north to south to linger into the early morning Saturday in the Boston area, and on Cape Cod a bit deeper into the morning, not really giving way to much sun. Even with lots of clouds, many of us will find high temperatures around 80 degrees or warmer where more sun can burn through the clouds.
Expect lots of sun for awhile on Sunday. This will boost temperatures well into the 80s for central and southern New England, even closing in on 90 around Boston, Worcester, Springfield and Hartford metro areas. But a powerful cold front sends scattered thunder from north to south across New England Sunday afternoon and evening, opening the door to new, fresh, cooler spring air to start next week.
Next week’s forecast is punctuated by fluctuations in air, from fresh spring air to warmth and humidity. One spike in warmth at midweek will be broken by Wednesday afternoon storms with a cold front, then another spike in warmth will be possible on Memorial Day weekend, which shows up at the end of our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast.
