Forecast: Raw, Chilly With Chance Of Thunderstorms

Last month was very warm and very dry for the first 30 days. However, in the final 12 hours of the month, enough rain fell in Boston to knock us out of the top 10 driest Mays on record. This is the thing about records: it only takes a few hours of rain to spoil them.

No matter what the statistics, the rain has arrived and will continue on and off at varying intensities for the next couple of days. A frontal system passed through the region late yesterday afternoon and dropped the temperatures nearly 30 degrees from the afternoon highs. You’ll need a jacket and the umbrella the next couple of days and traffic will likely be worse when the rain is falling.

Now a cool ocean flow of air will continue through tomorrow keeping temperatures cool and allowing us to recover from the spring drought. Meteorological summer begins today, the warmest 90 days of the year.

The next couple of days will be unlike anything we have seen since the very early days of May. Highs won’t reach 60 degrees in most spots and, with overnight lows in the 40s, dare I say the heat might be needed by Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

As a wave of low pressure moves along a frontal boundary tonight, the rain will likely become enhanced once again, and there could be some thunderstorms embedded within. I expect another 1 to 2 inches of rain to fall, with locally higher amounts through late Tuesday. This will put a good dent in our drought.

Wednesday will be a nicer day with dry and warmer conditions. Highs range from 65 to 70 and, with all the water in the ground, you’ll notice the lawns greening up again and many of the plants will respond nicely.

It continues to be seasonably warm Thursday and Friday with a chance of showers sometime later in the weekend, but this is very tentative and my confidence in the 7th day of a 7 day forecast isn’t very high.

Monday: Raw and chilly with showers and perhaps a thunderstorm late in the day. Highs of 52 to 56.

Monday night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Gusty and breezy with lows in the upper 40s.

Tuesday: Rain in the morning with a chance of afternoon showers. Highs of 56 to 60.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a high near 65.

Thursday: Sunny with a high near 75.

Friday: Lots of sunshine and warm. Highs of 75 to 80. A late-day shower possible.

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