The new, weekly Drought Monitor update from the University and Government consortium that evaluates data each week just came in at 8:30 this morning – Matt Noyes evaluates that, gives insight on an increasingly volatile weather pattern, highlights the limited chances for upcoming showers in New England, lends an overview on the weekend and closes with anecdotal remarks of what things may look like this winter. It’s all in our Thursday Insights!
The latest drought monitor released this morning reveals continued expansion of drought across New England, stretching all the way down the East Coast and extending to the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest. Parts of the Mid-Atlantic, Litchfield Hills, and nearly all of Massachusetts either side of the MA Turnpike are experiencing severe to extreme drought. With minimal precipitation recently, brush fire concerns remain high. Wind gusts today are relatively mild but will increase slightly tomorrow, with the most significant fire spread risk in New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley.
While our recent storm patterns have consistently impacted the central United States, the forecast shows these systems gradually shifting eastward, increasing the likelihood of more unsettled weather in the East over the next few weeks, but not all at once. Notably, we are seeing stronger atmospheric energy centers starting to emerge from the western U.S., signaling a more dynamic pattern that could bring increased precipitation to New England eventually, but for now remains west of us.
This weekend, a storm retrograding from Atlantic Canada may bring scattered light rain and snow showers to eastern and Northern Maine on Friday night and early Saturday morning. However, this won’t bring the much-needed precipitation for the broader drought areas. Saturday’s high temperatures will range between 55-60°F for most, with a light breeze from the north-northwest, and overnight lows will dip into the 30s and 20s. Sunday’s highs will reach near 60°F under continued breezy conditions. Monday should bring a few showers, but expected totals remain minimal, with accumulations only in the range of a few hundredths of an inch.
Looking further ahead, there is an uptick in rain chances next Thursday, although it’s uncertain how much rain this will bring. With a shifting jet stream and colder air moving from Siberia to Alaska, then eventually Canada, the evolving atmospheric pattern may bring the Northeast more consistent precipitation or snow by mid-winter, helping to alleviate drought conditions.
For more detailed updates and a 14-day outlook, download our Noyes’ 1DegreeOutside Weather app, available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
