forecast

Here's When We Could Hit 80 Degrees as Region Enters Epic Spring Stretch

Much of Memorial Day weekend will see temperatures in the 70s and 80s

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New England is entering an epic spring stretch in one of the best looking 10-day forecasts in recent memory. 

There are a few major weather features near eastern United States; a storm over the Great Lakes responsible for tornadoes in Ohio, tropical storm Arthur moving east-northeast and a high pressure – fair weather – dome over Atlantic Canada. 

The biggest player in New England’s weather forecast is, far and away, the large high pressure dome of dry air, firmly anchored just to the northeast keeping the two nearby storms at bay. 

But just because we see no direct impact of the nearby storms, doesn’t mean we won’t see any impact at all.

Tuesday midday through Wednesday, for instance, waves in New England’s coastal waters will build three to six feet. Strong rip currents along the south coast will develop in swell emanating from the north side of tropical storm Arthur as the system prepares to turn south toward Bermuda. 

Sandwiched between Arthur and the Canadian fair weather cell, high-altitude, wispy cirrus clouds will mix with sun. Wind will gust up to 30 mph at times Tuesday from the northeast, keeping coastal communities cooler than the interior. Most New England communities will only feel like the 50s at the warmest time of Tuesday thanks to an ocean breeze over water temperatures that are only around 50 degrees.

Tuesday night temperatures will drop into the 30s north and 40s south under partly cloudy skies. Wind will quiet down as high pressure expands, delivering a lighter onshore wind Wednesday under ample sunshine. 

Thursday and Friday the wind begins to change direction as the center of high pressure drifts from Atlantic Canada to a position southeast of New England. The clockwise flow of air around its center will deliver a southerly wind for high temperatures in the 70s Thursday and a southwest wind with highs in the 80s Friday! 

Meanwhile, the second storm mentioned over the Ohio Valley will send a piece of upper atmospheric energy east into New England on Saturday, likely to increase our clouds and possibly touching off a few showers. Though right now showers seem unlikely, given the abundance of dry air.

Sunday returns to more sunshine with both weekend days featuring highs from 60 at the coast to 70 inland as an onshore wind returns. 

Memorial Day once again features a shifting wind to blow from the south, bumping temperatures into the 70s under sunshine, and a warm, southwest wind returns through the middle of next week in the last three days of our exclusive First Alert 10-day, with high temperatures expected to soar well into the 80s.

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