It’s hard to believe, but the final weekend of October is just a few days away. After a couple of rain events this week, the entire weekend is looking dry and sunny, but cooler.
High pressure is going to build into the area from Canada behind a weak frontal system on Friday. As we begin the weekend, there could be a brief sprinkle, but Friday will mainly see a blend of clouds and sun with temperatures approaching 60 degrees in the afternoon.
A couple of weeks ago, we had a cold morning where many areas got down to frosty levels, but because there was just one day of sub-freezing temps, many plants shrugged off the cold. This weekend and into early next week, I think there will be several successive frost alerts away from the coastline, and this could finally put an end to plants like your impatiens and other non-hardy annuals.
Saturday features temperatures starting in the 30s to lower 40s before reaching the mid-50s in the afternoon. Remember, when you see the high temperature for the day, it takes until around 1:30 or 2 p.m. to get there. This means that at 10 a.m., temperatures can often still be in the 40s this time of the year, even with the high eventually getting into the mid-50s.
Both Saturday and Sunday will be generally sunny, except for a few pop-up clouds. There’s no chance of any rain this weekend. It starts cooler on Sunday with readings in the 30s for most areas, and it stays cooler, with temperatures only 50 to 55 in the afternoon. Some of the hilly terrain could stay under 50 degrees, especially in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. This is not unusual for the final week of October.
The sunrises are now several minutes after 7 a.m., and our latest sunrise of the entire year is actually the day before we turn the clocks back one hour on Nov. 2, marking the end of daylight saving time. If we didn’t have daylight saving time, the latest sunrises would be in early January. This is a technicality because those sunrises during the winter are just a few minutes earlier than what we’re experiencing for a few days in the fall.
Weekend breakdown
Greater Boston: Look for plenty of sunshine Saturday and Sunday. Highs will be in the mid- to upper 50s on Saturday and in the low to mid-50s on Sunday. Wind will be light, and morning temperatures will start in the 30s and lower 40s.
Central/Western Mass.: Temperatures will start in the 30s each morning this weekend and end up in the mid-50s on Saturday and only within a few degrees of 50 on Sunday. Wind will not be a factor.
Southeastern Mass.: When you get up in the morning this weekend, temperatures will be in the 30s, and there will likely be frost on the ground. Temperatures will reach the mid-50s on Saturday and the low 50s on Sunday with plenty of sunshine.
Cape and Islands: It’s going to be dry with relatively light wind all weekend. Temperatures will start near 40 on Saturday, end up in the mid-50s, and in the 30s on Sunday morning, ending up in the low to mid-50s in the afternoon.
Rhode Island: Plenty of sunshine greets Rhode Islanders for both Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will be within a few degrees of 55 on Saturday afternoon and around 53 on Sunday.
New Hampshire: Most of the foliage is now past peak, but it will be a nice weekend to be outside across New Hampshire. Temperatures will be frosty each morning in the lower 30s, ending up in the low to mid-50s on Saturday and within a few degrees of 50 on Sunday.
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