Weather

FIRST ALERT: Powerful October Gale to Bring Heavy Rain, Wind, Waves to New England This Week

The storm could cause flooding, power outages and tree damage later this week

What to Know

  • An October gale is moving toward New England, bringing strong winds along with it
  • Thursday brings an enhanced risk of coastal hazards and dangerous boating conditions as the ocean storm remains nearby
  • The powerful storm remains offshore Friday, which could result in flooding and wind damage

An area of high pressure slides over New England on Tuesday, bringing drier air to the region. Skies clear as the day progresses, with sunshine breaking out for northern locations and clouds hanging tough across the South Coast.

High temperatures reach into the mid to upper 60s across the south, and upper 50s to the north. An October gale developing across the Carolinas will wobble north toward the Mid-Atlantic overnight. With an area of high pressure to our north, a gusty onshore flow will develop off the Atlantic Ocean.

We're expecting wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph, possibly up to 40 mph across the Islands. Low temperatures will drop into the mid-50s south, the mid to upper 40s elsewhere, and the mid to upper 30s across the North Country.

Expect cooler temperatures Wednesday as our storm system approaches New England. Right now, we're expecting the heaviest precipitation to remain across the South Coasts and the Cape and Islands. Highs will reach into the upper 50s south and low to mid 50s north.

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Thursday brings an enhanced risk of coastal hazards and dangerous boating conditions as the October gale remains nearby to New England. Lashing winds and rain will stick around, with building waves and beach erosion at the coastline. Like Wednesday, high temperatures again won’t budge out of the upper 50s across the south and mid 50s to the north.

A near carbon copy is on tap for Friday, with a powerful ocean storm remaining stalled offshore. Churned seas will be 12 to 18 feet. One to 3 inches of rain is expected to fall by Friday as winds blow 20 to 30 mph, gusting to 35 to 50 mph at the coast.

We would not be surprised to see some isolated power line and tree damage across Cape Cod and the Islands. Cool high temperatures remain in the mid to upper 50s across New England.

Looking ahead to the weekend, our ocean storm hangs nearby for one more day on Saturday, with cloudy skies and rain showers. High temperatures are expected to moderate slightly into the low 60s across southeastern New England, the upper 50s elsewhere, and the mid 50s across Maine.

On Sunday, an approaching cold front from the Great Lakes kicks the ocean storm out-to-sea before sweeping across the region Sunday night into Monday on the exclusive First Alert 10-Day Forecast.

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