Boston weather: Finally, sunshine!
Talk about a lousy couple weeks of Boston weather.
Including Saturday, Boston has seen at least a trace of rainfall on 11 of the previous 13 days. Temperatures have climbed at or above 50 degrees exactly once over that timeframe (a 61-degree reading back on March 27). That’s some real Seattle-like weather, even for a time of year that’s often synonymous with cloudy skies and chilly temperatures.
Boston’s average high for the first week of April is about 51 degrees. So, it’s generally been below average for some time now.
But, finally, the sun will return for today and Tuesday, and with it, noticeably warmer weather as well.
Temperatures are set to climb above average for the first time in a week today, with a high around 60 degrees under mainly sunny skies. Tuesday will also be an overall pleasant weather day, with highs near 60 again, though clouds will be on the increase during the afternoon ahead of our next storm system.
Remember, if you’re heading outdoors for a jog or a walk, keep at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others, and wash your hands as soon as you head back inside (and throughout the day as well).
By Wednesday, the clouds and rain return, though it won’t be quite as raw or as chilly as the last few weeks. Wednesday and Friday look cooler with more clouds and rain, but highs should at least top out in the low 50s in Boston, again, a few degrees better than last week.
Thursday will be the pick day for any outdoor activities later this week, with more clouds than sun, but mainly dry conditions. Highs should be in the mid-50s on Thursday.
One bit of good news: all that rain and unsettled weather has helped put a dent into Boston’s drought so far this year. In mid-March, Boston was running about four inches below average on total precipitation (rain and liquid-equivalent snow and ice), and that deficit is now down to about two inches, mostly thanks to this recent soggy stretch.
This week also coincides with Boston’s average last freeze. Over the long-term, Boston’s last 32-degree or below temperature falls on April 9, based on official data from the National Weather Service. Over the last 30 years, that average last freeze date is even earlier, at April 3.
While the rainy weather by the end of the week won’t be particularly conducive for any outdoor planting, it should stay above the freezing mark this week. While freezes can still happen this time of year — Boston’s latest freeze on record was a May 3 freeze back in 1882 — there’s a better than 50-50 shot that we’ve already seen our final freeze of the season.
If you’re hoping to work on your garden, you’ve got a few April showers to battle this week, but you’ll finally have some springlike sunshine as well.