Although tropical air lingers Friday in southern New England with dew points in the 70s, a cold front steadily marching southeast across New England will deliver a noticeable decrease in humidity by day’s end.
A cold front like today’s, accompanied by a wind shift from southwest to northwest, would often come with thunderstorms. But the dry air moving in is so aggressive it’s undercutting the ability for storms to develop. A ribbon of growing puffy clouds will develop along the cold front, though, dropping southeast through Boston and Providence during the early to middle afternoon.
The clouds will perhaps grow just tall and heavy enough upon encountering the humid air of Cape Cod to set off an isolated shower somewhere in the Cape between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. After that, other than a few evening sprinkles near the Canadian border from a separate disturbance, it’s no holds barred for the new, dry, cooler air to stream across all of New England.
Temperatures will drop into the 40s north and 50s central and south overnight with the first in a string of crisp, cool nights - ideal for stargazing and fire pits (but use caution in the dry conditions).
Saturday, Sunday and Monday will all bring similar weather - high temperatures in the 70s, a bright sky and a wind likely strong enough to stave off a sea breeze so beaches can warm just as much as inland communities.
Saturday may find a few extra clouds and even an isolated sprinkle in the Berkshires and Green Mountains. There will be a bit of extra moisture carrying east from showers drifting off Lakes Ontario and Erie, though most spots in New England won’t see any raindrops from these.
Labor Day Monday brings a strengthening southerly wind that may deliver some chop onto the waters along our coastline and on our lakes for boaters to be aware of. Otherwise, the breeze will be an invigorating mix with the seasonable temperatures and sunshine.
Dry weather continues through the first half of next week, before a round of showers and thunder return between Wednesday night and Friday morning. Just how much rain remains to be seen. The early call on next weekend continues to look fair, albeit cooler than this weekend, in our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast.
