There are some spooky happenings around 1°Outside Today! Danielle has some fun with the holiday and lets you know that the record breaking warmth will be replaced by cooler than average temperatures by the weekend. Noyes’ Notes, School day feels-like forecast, Halloween event highlights across all 6 New England states & the all important trick-or-treating forecast are all included in this morning’s video. Plus, Danielle gives a special shout-out to the 1st graders at the Glover School in Marblehead, MA where she visited for an enrichment program just yesterday! Interested in a visit of your own? Reach out! And read on for the National and northeast weather summaries.
The weather across the U.S. today brings a stark contrast between unseasonably warm conditions across the Northeast and a cooler, stormier pattern in the West and Central regions. High pressure anchored along the East Coast will funnel warm, southwesterly air into the Ohio Valley and Northeast, pushing temperatures 20-30°F above average and setting record highs in some areas. Highs could reach the upper 70s to low 80s in areas like New York, Boston, and Cleveland, creating unusually warm conditions for Halloween festivities.
In the western U.S., a succession of low-pressure systems will bring unsettled weather, with widespread rain and mountain snow expected from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Rockies. Coastal areas of Washington and Oregon could receive 2-4 inches of rain through Friday, while higher elevations in the Cascades, Blue Mountains, and Northern Rockies may accumulate 1-2 feet of snow.
Meanwhile, the Central U.S. faces the threat of severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall as moisture flows north from the Gulf of Mexico, interacting with a frontal boundary stretching from Texas to the Midwest. Flash flooding and isolated strong thunderstorms will be possible across the Lower Mississippi Valley and into parts of Texas and Oklahoma. The risk of severe storms, although more limited, will also extend into the Midwest from Missouri to Southern Michigan.
The Northeast, including New England and upstate New York, will enjoy near or record breaking warmth on Halloween as a strong ridge of high pressure channels unseasonably warm, southwesterly air into the region. This pattern brings daytime highs in the mid-70s to low 80s across much of New England, pushing toward record-breaking territory in cities like Albany, Hartford, Boston, and Portland. Temperatures are expected to be 20-30°F above normal for this time of year, making for a warm and sunny Halloween with only thin high clouds, particularly in southern and coastal areas.
Late Thursday night, a cold front approaching from the west will bring gusty southwesterly winds, sustained at 10-20 mph with occasional gusts up to 30 mph, especially along the coast and in higher terrain. This front is expected to weaken as it moves eastward, leading to limited and light precipitation for western and central New England early Friday morning. Though showers are expected, they will likely be light with amounts under 0.1 inches, sparing much of the region from significant wet weather impacts.
Friday will be another very warm day with highs in the mid-70s to near 80°F ahead of the front. Once it passes by Friday afternoon, winds will shift west and increase, with gusts of 20-30 mph common, and some exposed areas potentially reaching 40 mph. This drying downslope flow will lower relative humidity values and raise fire weather concerns, particularly in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Areas in and around Boston should be vigilant for increased fire spread risk given the continued dry fuel conditions and gusty winds.
Over the weekend, high pressure will settle into the Northeast, bringing seasonable temperatures back to the region. Expect dry and cooler conditions on Saturday and Sunday, with highs in the 50s and lows dipping into the 30s, particularly inland. The next chance for scattered showers will come early next week as a warm front approaches, potentially bringing milder air back to New England by midweek.