Wednesday Insights: Deep-Dive Through the Weekend

Danielle gives you the deep dive into the weekend weather and what you need to know. There’s a lot happening, so let’s get right to it!

Upper-Level Patterns & Weather Impacts

A key player in our weather for Thursday is an upper-level low spinning north of Nova Scotia. This system is sending little bursts of energy into New England, increasing the risk of showers and thunderstorms as we head into Thursday afternoon and evening. A weak ridge will build in for Friday, offering a brief break in the action before a trough in the jet stream approaches New England over the weekend.

This trough is good news because it’s helping steer Hurricane Ernesto south and east of New England, keeping it out in the Atlantic. However, the trough will stick around into next week, leading to daily chances for showers and thunderstorms.

Hurricane Ernesto: What It Means for Us

Ernesto has continued to strengthen and is expected to become a major Category 3 hurricane by tomorrow night, with Bermuda in its sights. While New England is outside the current cone of probability, we could still feel some impacts, primarily in the form of increased surf and a higher risk of rip currents late Sunday into Monday. Forecast wave heights near the storm center could reach 20 to 30 feet, with 10 to 20-foot waves offshore and 5-10′ waves along portions of the New England coast.

We’ll keep a close eye on Ernesto’s track, especially if it shifts westward. Because of its size, this could bring clouds, some outer bands of rain close by.

Smoke from Eastern Canada

Did you notice the hazy skies yesterday? That smoke is sticking around today and possibly into the end of the week. The smoke is coming from a large area in Eastern Canada and will continue to drift into New England. While most of it will stay aloft, there could be some areas where the smoke mixes down to the surface, leading to a noticeable smell. Air quality alerts are already in place for Northern Maine, and we could see more issued Thursday.

Precipitation Outlook

For Thursday, expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon and evening. While some storms could bring brief downpours and gusty winds, widespread severe weather isn’t expected. Friday will be quieter, with just an isolated shower possible in far northern New England. Saturday starts dry, but clouds will increase with a chance of scattered showers in the afternoon, particularly in Western New England. Sunday will be more active, with showers and thunderstorms likely, especially in Western and Central New England.

Temperature & Humidity

Highs on Thursday will reach the 80s, with humidity gradually rising but staying manageable. Overnight lows will drop into the 60s, with a few cooler spots in northern New England dipping into the upper 50s. Friday will be another day in the low to mid-80s, with most of us staying dry. As we head into the weekend, Saturday will be the “pick”, with temperatures around 80 degrees and only a few scattered storms. Sunday will be in the mid to upper 70s with more widespread showers and storms.

Stay Informed

We’ll keep you updated on all the latest, including Ernesto’s track and the smoke situation. Don’t forget, you can track everything with our 1Degree Outside Weather app, where you’ll find all our videos, the latest tropical updates, and interactive radar. It’s free on the App Store and Google Play, and of course, all of our weather information is available right here on our website.