The Latest
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No rain, plenty of problems: Brush fire danger, drought conditions continue
We’re swapping out airmasses (mild for cold) so there will be plenty of wind in the forecast on Friday. That will fan the flames of any ongoing fires on the North Shore and anywhere else brush fires get a toehold. This has been a very active autumn fire season, and there’s plenty of concern into the weekend as the winds...
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Warm temperatures continue, brush fire threat remains
A cold front is passing through on Thursday morning, but the air behind it is hardly cold. We’ll still reach for 70 as a stiff breeze accompanies the passage. Even Friday, highs still manage the low and mid-60s in this remarkably warm autumn. By Saturday, the temperatures will dip below normal, and then level off near normal by Sunday. Fires...
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Record-breaking heat in Boston, Worcester, Providence, Hartford and Caribou
A second day of record-breaking heat is in store for Massachusetts. These records are relatively young, set back in 2022, but they are very vulnerable in this very warm setup.
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Warm temps return for Election Day, stick around for Wednesday
We’ll head for 70 degrees Tuesday afternoon, as warm weather returns just in time for Election Day.
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Another warmup on the way, temps could challenge records
Early sunsets after the switch to Standard Time never fail to surprise (and dismay). Many commuters will hit the road — and return to homebase — in the dark in the coming weeks. While we “only” lose 22 more minutes on the sunset time (from 4:33 to 4:11 by Dec. 7), we continue to “lose” daylight until the winter solstice...
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Monday remains cool, but another big warmup is on the way
After two hard freezes in as many mornings, the pattern takes at turn in the coming days. I’m sure you can guess what’s in store. Since late September, we’ve had five different warmups followed by distinct cooldowns. What a ride it’s been! We’ll see how things shake out this month, but our hot/cold streak may be cut short after this...
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Warm temps close out the week, critical risk for fire danger
We’re still holding on to the warm temperatures to close out the week. A cold front will cross by midday, but we’re starting mild and we’re keeping the westerly wind intact. That wind will be gusty, so this may not be a great day for leaf cleanup. More importantly, fire danger increases again thanks to the breeze and the low...
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What a treat! Halloween forecast calls for temps near 80 degrees
Had to double check the radar – and even poke my head outside – to see if we actually had rain overnight. Sure enough, it was water (and not ash) falling from the sky. While this was just a drop in the bucket, it helped in the short term. In the blazing heat of summer, this rain would have been...
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What is inversion smoke? Wildfires continue to impact air quality in Mass.
Smoke continues to drift under our inversion – an atmospheric ‘lid” that traps the smoke near the ground – creating an acrid smell and ribbon of haze in the skies over eastern Massachusetts. Like Monday, this will mix out with a developing breeze later Tuesday morning. And with more wind in the forecast over the next couple of days, we’re...
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Warmer temps moving in just in time for Halloween
It’s been a very dry autumn thus far. Only a smidge above two inches since Sept. 1 in Boston puts this at the third driest autumn so far. Worcester ranks at second driest. We’re very likely to get more rain through the end of November to round out fall, but trend is certainly concerning. The end result has been increased...
