Local News

Next rain storm to hold off until late Sunday night

Clear night skies this weekend make for optimum viewing of a bright moon and Jupiter.

People enjoy the warm weather, framed through the spiraling branches of a cork tree at the Arnold Arboretum. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

By Dave Epstein, The Boston Globe

November 24, 2023

2 minutes to read

Whether you are shopping, scouting out the perfect Christmas tree or just cleaning up the yard, the weather for the remainder of this holiday week will continue to cooperate, albeit a bit chilly for some.

I want to start this post by mentioning something to look for during the clear night sky tonight and Saturday: You’ll notice as the full moon clears the horizon there will be a bright star-like object nearby — in this case, not a star but a planet. We are quite fortunate that the weather will be favorable to see this wonderful astronomical treat. Even before it is totally dark, you will be able to see Jupiter and a nearly full moon with just the naked eye. I snapped a picture this afternoon, below. If you look closely, you can see the little “white star” that’s Jupiter.

The moon and Jupiter rising over Harpswell, Maine, Friday afternoon.

As for the weekend forecast, a dry cold front will pass through the area overnight Friday, ushering in cool Canadian air. Wind chills will actually fall into the teens and if you are out and about for any extended time, winter gear will be necessary. It will also be very dry air with dew points in the teens. It’s the start of the chapped lip and dry skin season, so this is a good weekend to check those humidifiers while you’re at it.

Dew points will be in the single numbers and teens Saturday morning.

Sunshine takes over on Saturday but does little to boost temperatures. The high will be in the 30s while the winds, a bit gusty overnight, slacken. It’s all another cold Saturday night with an additional chance to view the nearly full beaver moon and Jupiter. The celestial event is so-called because it’s the time of year when beavers are active and getting ready to shelter for the winter.

Sunday kicks off bright and sunny as temperatures creep back up into the 40s during the afternoon hours. Then clouds move in ahead of our next storm. Low pressure will arrive Sunday night and bring rain. I expect most Sunday travel to be over when the precipitation begins near midnight. This will set us up for a wet morning commute on Monday.

Low pressure brings rain to all of New England Sunday night and Monday morning.

With a gusty southeasterly wind, the Monday morning commute may be a bit slow heading into work or school. Temperatures will be near 50 and I’m generally expecting anywhere from half an inch to an inch of rainfall for most of the region.

The storm pulls away Monday night and then it’s back to sunshine and seasonably cold temperatures for the rest of the work week. You can expect highs in the 40s each afternoon with at least partial sunshine.