WICKED NICE WEATHER

Fall arrives with late-summer feel

A gorgeous stretch of dry weather is in store for Massachusetts ahead of the official start of astronomical fall this week.

Meteorologists are forecasting comfortable temps in the 70s and sunshine for the final days of summer before fall kicks off on Wednesday.

“It should be a pretty nice stretch of weather,” said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Boston office.

After Sunday’s September stunner, today should be another gem of a day, with abundant sunshine, light winds and low humidity. High temps should be in the mid 70s, with cooler temps and sea breezes along the coast.

Tuesday should be more of the same, followed by temps ticking up a few degrees on Wednesday.

The next chance for rain showers is on Thursday. An approaching cold front will be accompanied by showers and possible thunderstorms sometime Thursday into Friday, followed by dry and seasonably mild conditions on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Peter has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the sixteenth named storm of the season over the open Atlantic. The storm could impact Puerto Rico in the next few days.

The outer bands south of the tropical storm could produce rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts possible across portions of the Northern Leeward Islands, including the Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico through Tuesday. This rainfall may lead to areas of urban and small stream flooding.

Also, swells generated by Tropical Storm Peter are expected to reach the northern Leeward Islands, and could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

The Massachusetts coast could eventually have dangerous rip current conditions from the storm, but the local impact should be limited.

The National Weather Service had issued a high rip current risk advisory for the Cape, Nantucket, South Shore and North Shore on Sunday.

“Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water,” the advisory reads. “Unfortunately most if not all beaches are unguarded this time of year.”

MATT STONE / HERALD STAFF IMPERVIOUS TO THE CONDITIONS: A bald eagle screams out in the Blue Hills Reservation in Canton on Thursday, though it’s unclear if he’s enjoying the current stretch of pleasant weather.

MARY SCHWALM / BOSTON HERALD PERFECT FOR RIDING: Motorcycles and trikes stream into a parking lot for the festival at the conclusion of the 10th annual Wounded Vet Run ride in Malden on Sunday, a nice day for a ride.