The sun returned to New England yesterday and allowed temperatures to break 50 degrees for the 13th time this month in Boston. It’s been an interesting March coming off a colder-than-average winter. The average number of 50-degree or warmer March days in the city sits at nine, with this month extending the streak of above-normal 50-degree weather days to seven years.
We’ll be a bit cooler today, in the 40s. Our current setup has the jet stream bowing just south of New England, and this will influence our Wednesday weather a couple of ways. Remember that the jet stream is the general highway for storms to travel.
A coastal low pressure will glide along this track and make a near pass off the southeast coast of New England, bringing a low chance for a few scattered showers this morning, mainly south of Boston and toward the Cape. The good news is that the jet stream is digging south, which will keep most of this storm away from the region, leaving Wednesday under a blend of sun and clouds, with cloud cover increasing throughout the afternoon.
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With the jet stream digging south, it does open the door for a bit of a cut-off low north by Quebec to spin some scattered showers and higher-elevation snow showers across New England from the west. These should start popping up by midday and last through the afternoon, mostly sticking around Northern New England, though there’s a better chance for some scattered showers to push into Massachusetts this afternoon.
Regardless, rain and mountain snow should be very light, with hardly any accumulation. Boston might see a pop-up shower around the commute home.
With a slight flow from the west today and increasing cloud cover, high temperatures are likely to stay cooler, in the mid- to upper 40s across Southern New England, including Boston. Winds will stay mild, under 10 miles per hour across the region.
Wednesday’s breakdown
Greater Boston: A slight chance for a spot sprinkle during the morning commute. A blend of sun and clouds otherwise. Highs to the upper 40s with light winds. A shower is possible late in the afternoon.
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Central/Western Mass.: Should be dry in the morning, with temperatures building to the low to mid-40s from Worcester to the New York border under a mix of sun and clouds. Increasing clouds in the afternoon with a chance for a pop-up shower or two.
Cape and Islands: Best chance to see some shower activity in the morning. Otherwise, more clouds than sun as highs build to the mid-40s. Mostly cloudy skies stick around during the afternoon with an evening spot shower possible.
Rhode Island: Seeing a blend of sun and clouds with highs building to the upper 40s. A couple of 50-degree readings possible. Newport might see a brief morning shower, but chances are low. Otherwise, a pop-up shower is possible in the afternoon across the Ocean State.
New Hampshire: Seeing a dry start with highs building to the low to mid-40s under a mix of clouds and sun. Afternoon and evening pop-up showers are possible with snowflakes falling across mountaintops.
Rest of Northern New England: Seeing a typical spring day with clouds and sun. Increasing clouds in the afternoon and evening with the chance for some pop-up light showers through the evening commute. Highs range within the 40s for both Vermont and Maine.
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.