forecast

Weather Swings from Summertime Temps to Snowy Summits this Weekend

After highs reach near 80 degrees Thursday, the summits of northern New England may see some snow Saturday morning

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A storm moving into Canada via the Great Lakes is ushering a southerly wind into the northeast United States, including here at home. That south wind will couple with sunshine Thursday to boost temperatures into the 70s by afternoon – a healthy 25 to 35 degree rebound after starting in the 30s and 40s for many. 

Wind gusts late Thursday into early evening may reach 40 to 45 mph in a few spots - not enough to do damage but certainly enough to whip around Halloween decorations and blow over empty trash cans. 

Clouds increase Thursday night as two things begin to change in the atmosphere. The storm in Canada drags a cold front east toward New England while a strung-out bundle of tropical moisture streams north up the eastern seaboard after originating in the Bahamas. 

At first, showers will break out Thursday evening and night in the Champlain Valley of Vermont and then a few showers in northwest New England ahead of the approaching cold front. 

Friday morning, those few showers will break out through other spots in New England, including the Worcester to Boston corridor. Those showers will increase in both coverage and intensity over New England Friday midday and afternoon. The rain will hold off for most of the day in eastern areas of Maine, southeast Massachusetts and Cape Cod, save for occasional sprinkles. 

By Friday evening and night, rain and downpours fill in with an occasional thunderstorm possible. A much-needed soaking rain adds to this week’s rainfall totals to ease drought conditions, at least a bit for nearly all communities. Our exclusive NBC10/NECN Forecast System has been consistently forecasting an inch to an inch and a half of rainfall. 

Rain will likely still be falling Saturday morning in most spots, but during the morning should quickly ride to the northeast. The sun will break out for most of southern, central and western New England by late morning onward, with rain lasting longest in Maine and northern New Hampshire. 

Because this rainstorm is developing along a cold front, there’s enough cold air moving in behind that the summits and high terrain of northern New England actually may see a minor accumulation of snow Saturday morning! 

Regardless, spots in Northern New England where the rain holds on won’t get out of the 40s Saturday while everyone else rebounds to the middle 50s. Sunday continues to be the unquestionable pick of the weekend with a fair sky and highs around 60.

Next week looks seasonable with limited chances for showers on Wednesday and perhaps again next weekend, when we’ll watch tropical moisture nudging north up the east coast. But right now, it's seeming more likely to remain south of New England in our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast.

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