Enjoy It While It Lasts

Posted by Chris Lambert

It's quite the mild start to the weekend with temps running in the mid 30s to lower 40s.  Despite the warm start, temps struggle to climb throughout the day as clouds rule.  Mid 40s on average should do it for most this afternoon as patchy fog and drizzle become less of an issue.

It remains mild overnight tonight with temps above freezing and that means the snow melt and thawing of the backyard skating rinks continue.  Fog redevelops and patchy mist does as well.  Look on the bright side... at least it allows for a mild start on Sunday and that means plenty of warmth for the Pats vs Texans game.  Afternoon temps run in the lower to middle 50s with plenty of clouds around.  There's still an outside chance we'd take a run at 60 if a few hours of sun break out in the afternoon, but at this point, that looks difficult to achieve.  Anyway, it'll be a mild and dry afternoon at Gillette.

We'll hit 50+ again early Monday... but this is the last 50 degree day for the foreseeable future as colder weather works in.  The coldest day on the 7-day is Friday as highs struggle to get out of the 20s.  If you think that's cold... wait until the following week when the bottom drops out on the mercury.

Long range forecast models have been remarkably consistent in showing high pressure building in over the Arctic in the Jan 21st-25th timeframe.  When this occurs, the brutally cold air across the Arctic and in northern Canada gets dislodged, and pushes south.  This go around, it appears the Midwest and Northeast will be in the path of some of the coldest air we've seen in a couple of years.  It was two years ago on January 24th that Boston had a high of 13 and a low of -2.  Time will tell if we can challenge those numbers.  Forecasting patterns 10-14 days certainly can be challenging, but the signals for cold air are there.  

Whether we near those icy numbers or not, at least I'm more optimistic for those backyard skating rinks making a marvelous comeback.  I'd use the afternoons this mid week coming up to freshen them up and pour more water on top.  They will freeze solid with colder days ahead!

Enjoy the weekend and Go Pats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's A Wrap--I Think

Posted by Jeremy Reiner

I hope I'm not jinxing us with this statement.."The recent wet pattern is over....onto sunshine & a more summer- like pattern.." The last time someone from 7 weather called a pattern change too soon we got a blizzard and 3 subsequent nor'easters (looking at you Pete!!--LOL). We don't have to worry about any blizzards or nor'easters but one never knows in the new world order.

Like A Waterfall

Posted by Pete Bouchard

If you were caught in those 'cloudbursts' today, you had more than you could handle in the rain department. Torrents fell in a short amount of time - what we deem 'flash flooding' in the weather biz. Since it happens suddenly, the National Weather Service has adopted the acronym TADD:

Bam! Pow!

Posted by Jeremy Reiner

Bam. Pow! Those were some nasty storms last evening with some towns in metrowest & the city itself blasted with locally heavy rain, hail, lightning and strong wind gusts. A cool front is the culprit and that front will linger across the region again today. That means another round of some scattered showers & t-storms likely.

Thunderous Start to Workweek

Posted by Pete Bouchard

Heat and a bit of humidity fed a strong - and sometimes severe - line of thunderstorms today. By the time the dinner hour rolled around (6pm-ish), the storms had consolidated into a line. Everyone got a drink of water and a big drop in temperatures - some falling nearly 20 degrees in minutes!