Fresh, spring air has taken hold of New England – dry enough in most spots for ample sunshine, though cold air aloft is still making for enough clash between warm surface air and upper level colder air. That clash will create clouds that will produce a few showers in Maine and the Great North Woods of New Hampshire Tuesday, particularly during the afternoon.
Otherwise, a brisk morning breeze from the west-northwest will create a wind chill in the upper 30s Tuesday morning. That will relax as Tuesday wears on, allowing for high temperatures near 60 to feel like it.
With the dry air and busy breeze, brush fire danger rises to high for eastern New England. The not-yet-full-grown leaves on the trees are unable to provide enough shade to lock recent moisture into the ground, meaning last year’s leaves and brush on the ground dry quickly.
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The other result of a dry and breezy spring day is a very high pollen count, with birch, oak and maple continuing to lead the way. Pollen levels are expected to remain high to very high for much of the week.
Expect a cool and mostly clear overnight Tuesday ahead of another dry day Wednesday as a round of wet weather first misses us to the south, then consolidates around a second storm center south of New England. That will pass close enough to raise our chance of showers Wednesday night into Thursday, though significant rainfall amounts are not forecast.
A breeze may increase Friday ahead of the next weather system, arriving with rain by Friday night ahead of a substantial blast of chilly air. This air, dislodged from the North Pole and migrating south, arrives to New England immediately behind Friday night’s rain. It may not only result in an early morning snow shower for some of central and southern New England Saturday, but also the potential for a period of accumulating snow in Northern New England Saturday morning!
Regardless of how the storm developing on the leading edge of the chilly air evolves, we’re sure to see a burst of unusual cold for this late in the spring season Saturday. Highs will barely touch 50 in warmer spots and many of us not even make it out of the 40s, adding a wind chill to boot!
As the wind quiets Saturday night, the chance for frost is high deep into southern New England, except in the urban areas, leading to a cool but dry Mother’s Day with sunshine.
Much of next week will continue to be cooler than normal, but temperatures slowly moderate. Starting at the very last day of our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast next Thursday, we see signals that the pattern may turn around with a warmer than normal trend beginning.
