Forecast discussion: High pressure over the Northeast U.S. gave Rhode Island a sunny day, giving power companies and snow plows great weather to return things to normal. Before starting the discussion for the weather, I thought I might give you some quick facts and figures on the cleanup in Rhode Island. Right now, National Grid is only reporting 43,000 customers without power as of 4:30 p.m. Despite the good weather, many private and public schools will be closed tomorrow, and many parking bans do remain in effect. For those without power, a few YMCA’s across the state were opened to act as emergency shelters. They will also provide people with hot showers and charging stations for people’s phones or tablets.
This high pressure system that gave us nice weather will be moving offshore this evening. We will see increasing clouds during the overnight, as a low pressure system over central Iowa moves to the east. A warm front will slowly pass through New England by late Monday afternoon. But, we will also see more precipitation. The precipitation will actually start as a mix of sleet and freezing rain by mid-morning, before changing over to all rain. I am forecasting about a half inch of rain. This may help create street flooding, as many storm drains are blocked by snow. It will also compact the snow, making it heavier to move.
The rain showers will end before midnight, and a new high pressure system will influence our weather by early Tuesday morning. The milder temperatures will continue into Tuesday, before we see cooler high temperatures on Wednesday. But, it will help melt some of the huge snow piles.
As we move into Thursday, I will be watching a developing low pressure system over the Southeast U.S. Right now, many computer models have the low tracking out to sea. At best, we would see a wintry mix in the late morning and early afternoon. For now, I will keep the chance for some precipitation, and see if the models continue to agree on taking the low offshore.
A weak area of low pressure would bring a few showers on Friday afternoon, before a strong high pressure system influences our weather for next weekend. But, an upper level trough will be moving over the eastern U.S. This trough would bring colder air down from the north, and our temperatures will barely make it above freezing on Sunday.
72 hour forecast:
Tonight: Increasing clouds through the overnight with a low of 25.
Monday: Precipitation may start as a mix of sleet and freezing rain by mid-morning before changing to all rain by late morning with a high of 46. Winds will come from the south-southwest at 10-13 mph.
Monday night: Showers ending before midnight, with partial clearing and a low of 35. Winds will come from the west-southwest at 8-11 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a high of 45.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy with a low of 26.
Wednesday: Partly to mostly sunny with a high of 39.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a low of 25.
Extended Forecast:
Thursday: Partly sunny with possible rain showers by the afternoon, ending by the evening. Highs 40-43, lows 27-30.
Friday: Cloudy with possible rain showers in the afternoon. Highs 42-45, lows 25-28.
Saturday: Partly sunny. Highs 39-42, lows 19-22.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs 33-36, lows 18-21.
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