Near record warmth then a coastal storm? Bumpy weather forecast for Cape Cod
Cape Cod weather watchers have plenty to keep an eye on in the coming days. Part of the forecast seems pretty delightful, with near record high temperatures in the regional forecast for Saturday. But looming on the horizon is the "potential for a significant coastal storm early next week," according to the National Weather Service forecast discussion.
Let's get to the good stuff first. Saturday may feel almost balmy on the Cape, although it won't be as warm as other parts of southern New England, where "we're looking at high temperatures in the mid to upper 50s," said Bryce Williams, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Boston/Taunton office.
Some off-Cape locations may approach high temperature records for the day, according to the National Weather Service.
Williams said the cooling effects of the ocean will keep Cape Cod in the mid to upper 40s during the day on Saturday, which will likely be cloudy with a chance of showers as we move toward sunset.
This relatively pleasant weather could serve as the appetizer to a storm, which may impact the region Monday night into Tuesday. "The question will be where it will track," said Williams. "We probably won't have a good handle on the forecast until about 72 hours out."
Potential for an impactful storm system
We turn again to the forecast discussion, always a great place to see what may be coming our way:
"At this point there is potential for an impactful storm system early in the week. This may bring rain and/or heavy snow with a period of strong winds. On top of this astronomical tides are high, so we may have to contend with coastal flooding. Given both coasts have been hit hard already this winter, they are particularly more vulnerable."
Williams said "both coasts" in the forecast discussion mean the south and east coasts of southern New England and added that "coastal flooding could be an issue even without a significant storm."
He also suggested that folks keep an eye on the forecast as we get closer to the Monday night into Tuesday time frame.
Here is the Hyannis forecast from the National Weather Service:
Saturday: A slight chance of showers after 4 p.m. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Southwest wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday night: A slight chance of showers before 1 a.m. Patchy fog before 7pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. West wind 9 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind 10 to 14 mph.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Monday night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. South wind 8 to 15 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday: A chance of rain before 8 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., then a chance of snow after 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. Breezy, with a north wind 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind 18 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X: @capecast.
The Cape Cod Times is providing this coverage for free as a public service. Please take a moment to support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod weather forecast: Coastal storm, flooding possible next week
