Much of the state’s coastline will be under a high surf advisory Wednesday, as an unusual late summer Nor’easter is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Eastern Massachusetts, forecasters said.
The advisory runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and extends from Newburyport to Cape Cod and Nantucket, which are both also under a wind advisory until 3 p.m., according to National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Belk.
“The surf advisory is mainly for swimmers and those venturing into the water,” Belk said.
He said rain is expected to end in the early afternoon.
Rain accumulations from the storm are expected to be minimal, with a band along the coast that includes Cape Cod and the islands expected to get a half-inch to 1 inch, and inland areas expected to see less. Amherst, Springfield, and areas further west are expected to receive less than one-tenth of an inch of rain, the weather service said on Twitter.
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That won’t do much to address the drought affecting much of the state.
“Every little bit can help at this point, but this is not looking like a rain event that’s going to end all concerns about drought,” Belk said.
Maximum wind gusts are expected to reach 30 to 35 miles per hour in coastal communities such as Gloucester and Plymouth, while the Cape could see gusts of 35 to 40 miles per hour, and gusts could get up to 40 to 45 miles per hour on Nantucket, according to the weather service. Gusts of 25 to 30 miles per hour are expected in Boston.
[Afternoon Briefing] An anomalous late summer Nor'easter will impact eastern Massachusetts tonight & Wednesday, with strong winds & heavy rain for Cape Cod & the Islands. Still uncertainty how far west beneficial rains will track. #MAwx #RIwx #Boston #CapeCod #Nantucket pic.twitter.com/aC4FMJ5OVB
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) August 16, 2022
Jeremy C. Fox can be reached at jeremy.fox@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeremycfox.