Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Boston, MA

Current Version | Previous Version | Graphics & Text | Print | Product List | Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
000 FXUS61 KBOX 201817 AFDBOX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 217 PM EDT Sat Apr 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
A ridge of high pressure will result in dry weather Sunday through Tuesday with mild days and cool nights, along with elevated fire weather potential. Unsettled, wet and cool on Wednesday. Turning drier late in the week.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
First round of showers was still lingering around the Cape and islands early this afternoon. Forecast still looks to be on track, with this band of showers moving offshore by 3-4 PM. Still liking the idea presented by the HRRR and RAP for a second round of showers later this afternoon and evening as a mid level shortwave passes by. Not as confident in the location, which is not unusual with more convective rainfall in the near term guidance. Have the greatest confidence in these showers across the eastern half of southern New England between 4-8 PM. Tried to place these showers in location and time using a more ensembled approach between the last several runs of the HRRR, RAP and NationalBlend. Some brief clearing in a narrow band extended from southwest CT into northeast MA. This clearing was already filling in. More convective clouds were also popping up across eastern NY state. Expecting the same across our region, where any breaks of sunshine will fill in with diurnal clouds. Once this mid level shortwave passes by, and with the loss of daytime heating, expecting things to dry out rather quickly. All showers should e gone by 10 PM, with clearing arriving from west to east through this evening. Light west to northwest winds should prevent ideal radiational cooling. That said, some areas across the western half of southern New England could see some patchy frost by Sunday morning. Not thinking frost will be widespread enough to warrant an advisory at this time, despite the season starting tomorrow across northern CT, RI and mainly southeast MA.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
High pressure starts to build across southern New England through Sunday night, providing dry weather. Expecting a period of clouds Sunday afternoon and evening as a weak trough passes by. This weak trough will also help generate gusty afternoon west winds. Near to slightly below normal temperatures.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Highlights * Very seasonable weather next week with daily high/low temps close to the climatological normal * Rainy on Wednesday Monday through Saturday No anomalous or impactful weather is expected in the extended forecast for southern New England next week. The week begins with the region largely dominated by high pressure building in from the west. This should support a sunny/dry start to the week with highs in the upper 50s/low 60s and lows in the upper 30s/low 40s. The only active period of weather this week will be on Wednesday when a modest short-wave disturbance aloft traverses over the region. Southerly flow ahead of this feature will increase the moisture over southern New England allowing for widespread stratiform precipitation during the day Wednesday. With neither forcing nor moisture forecast to reach impressive levels, the total rainfall accumulation with this system is expected to be modest with amounts likely between 0.1 and 0.25 inches. As the associated surface cold front pushes through the region behind this system Wednesday night, we`ll be left with a dry but cooler air mass on Thursday which should feature temperatures only slightly below normal. High pressure then builds over The Northeast to end the week with more dry, quiet, and seasonable conditions.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Forecast Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High- greater than 60 percent. Through 00Z...High confidence in trends, moderate in timing. Mainly VFR with areas IFR west of I-495. Mainly IFR with pockets of LIFR across RI and southeast MA. Thinking we see a second round of hit-or-miss showers this afternoon, mainly across the eastern half of our region. Low probability there is some graupel in the heavier showers. Not as concerned about the risk for thunderstorms. Winds out of the SW becoming more W at 5-15 kt. Could see some 20-25 kt gusts during the afternoon across the interior. Tonight through Sunday Night...High confidence. Any lingering MVFR-IFR conditions across the Cape/Islands clear to VFR this evening. VFR conditions expected into Sunday Night. WNW generally 5-10 knots, shifting to the WSW Sunday at 10 to 15 knots with some afternoon gusts of 20 to 25 kt. Winds turn WNW Sunday night and become less gusty. KBOS TAF...High Confidence in TAF. KBDL TAF...High Confidence in TAF. Outlook /Monday through Thursday/... Monday: VFR. Breezy. Monday Night: VFR. Tuesday: VFR. Windy with local gusts up to 30 kt. Tuesday Night: VFR. Windy with gusts up to 35 kt. Slight chance SHRA. Wednesday: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy. Chance SHRA. Wednesday Night: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA. Thursday: VFR. Breezy.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .MARINE...
-- Changed Discussion --
Forecaster Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Medium - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Through Sunday Night...High Confidence. A relatively weak pressure gradient should keep winds and seas generally below Small Craft Advisory thresholds through Sunday night. However, good mixing on westerly flow Sunday may yield a few afternoon nearshore wind gusts of 20-25 knots creating some chop. Outlook /Monday through Thursday/... Monday through Monday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Tuesday: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with areas of gusts up to 30 kt. Tuesday Night: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with local gusts up to 30 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft. Wednesday: Moderate risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Chance of rain showers. Wednesday Night: Moderate risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Slight chance of rain showers. Thursday: Moderate risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .FIRE WEATHER...
-- Changed Discussion --
Sunday... Dry westerly flow in pre-greenup should allow for elevated fire weather concerns on Sunday. The airmass will mix deeply and allow for a large temp/dewpoint spread. Highs should reach the upper 50s to near 60 with dewpoints dropping into the lower to middle 20s. This should result in minimum afternoon relative humidities between 20 and 30 percent. The deep mixing should also produce some 20 to 25 mph wind gusts with perhaps a few locales approaching 30 mph briefly. However, the rainfall today was wetting for most locations. Will continue to monitor this potential overnight.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. MA...None. RI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Belk/RM NEAR TERM...Belk SHORT TERM...Belk LONG TERM...RM AVIATION...Belk/RM MARINE...Belk/RM FIRE WEATHER...Belk

USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state and local government web resources and services.