Warmth is Trending

Posted by Pete Bouchard

Wow! This is December?

Although our high of 59° was 10 degrees off the record, it was still WAY above the normal of 47°. But what is it about early December warmth?

Last year: 63° on the 5th

2010: 56° on the 1st

2009: 69° on the 3rd

2008: 60° on the 1st (and 63° on the 10th)

I'm beginning to see a trend here. In fact, just like those freakish warmups around Marathon time in mid April, we may start to expect some mini-warmup in early December around here. Of course, over the course of 30 years (the normal time period where we formulate our climate normals), this data will be smoothed, but I wonder if there might be a local maximum or a "bump" that is teased out of the data in early December (and mid April).

And how has this affected the winter? You'll find NO connection there:

2011-'12: 9.3" of snow

2010-'11: 81"

2009-'10: 35.7"

2008-'09: 65.9"

So, suffice it to say that warm spells in early December are not harbingers of a warm (cold), snowless (snowy) winter.

OK, geeky weather talk is over now.

Another mild day is in store for tomorrow. I'm not expecting that much in the way of sun, but it's hardly a cold day. Highs again will soar into the mid and upper 50s - one last soiree into the mid air before the cold air slaps down on Wednesday.

But this is what I call "superficial cold". Highs will fall to normal by Thursday, only to rebound into the weekend as we go into the rain.

This is our next significant (no, not calling it major) weather system...and it's a wet one. HOWEVER, we need to watch the cold air on Sunday. It may seep in from the north and attempt to insert some wintery weather across New England. How far south it gets into our area is still up for question.

Pete

Saved by The Sea Breeze

Posted by Pete Bouchard

Although my forecast was busted today, there was one good thing that came out of it.

Stability.

That gray overcast that hung over the eastern half of the Commonwealth provided a stablizing influence to our atmosphere. The cool air blowing in from the ocean kept the temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s all the way back to Metrowest. While that makes for lousy short-and-t-shirt weather, it is poison to thunderstorms.

Wild & Wacky

Posted by Jeremy Reiner

Wild temperatures yesterday---from the 80s down into the low 60s in just an hour AND some heavy duty thunderstorms. The reason was a cool front that dropped in from Maine. That front is in western New England this morning and it's a chameleon as it will become a warm front and try to warm things back up during the day.

Storms, Heat, Sea Breezes

Posted by Pete Bouchard

What a day! Breakneck temperature swings, thunder, tornadoes in Western Mass....and we're still in late May!

More Warmth

Posted by Jeremy Reiner

You have another warm & humid day with many towns repeating yesterday's weather. That means we start with clouds & fog for a bit before hazy sun gets going. That hazy sunshine will boost temps up into the low 80s by early to mid afternoon across much of the region. At the same time a cool front will begin dropping out of Maine (backdoor front) which will quickly send temps from the 70s/80s down into the 50s/60s by late afternoon & evening. Also, when this front rams into the warmth & humidity it will spark a few showers & thunderstorms during the afternoon.