Memorial Day Weekend's Looking Wet and Cool, But Here's Where It Could Improve

Friday started nicely, with mild sun and clouds south, clear and cold in the north.

The low in Presque Isle Maine was a record-breaking 29 degrees. That cold air is being pulled south into an expanding rain shield pushing into central and southern New England.

Showers moved into western New England Friday afternoon and were spreading from west to east as an area of low pressure approaches from the Ohio River Valley, tracking along a stationary front stalled south of New England.

Heavy rain arrives after dark, mostly along the South Coast, Cape Cod and Islands into Saturday morning. Friday night, high astronomical tides and a storm surge may result in some minor splash over over the typical spots near the coast during high tide after 1a.m.

The wind will also ramp up Friday night, with gusts up to 45 mph possible across Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard -- mariners will need to be careful as the waves will continue to build this weekend.

Although one to three inches of rain is expected in southern New England from Friday night into Monday, amounts will drop off significantly from central Vermont and New Hampshire to southern Maine and points north, where less rain falls.

In fact, Saturday afternoon brings drying for many – with clearing late Saturday into Saturday night in northern New England – though communities within about 20 miles of the coastline will probably still find pockets of drizzle lingering in spots through Saturday afternoon, with an onshore, northeast wind blowing cool air across the ocean water.

Highs Saturday will be in the 50s, except around the Champlain Valley, where temperatures will rise into the 60s. Another round of showers moves in Sunday morning from south to north, arriving to the Cape and South Coast before breakfast and spreading north through the day, lasting into Monday morning.

As of now, Memorial Day may end up totally dry in western New England, including the Berkshires and Green Mountains, with morning rain giving way to some clearing in the eastern half of New England, allowing temperatures to rebound into the 60s.

Come Tuesday, the rain moves out and highs will be in the 70s and 80s. Our exclusive First Alert 10-Day Forecast showcases more rain and afternoon thunderstorms for the first weekend in June.