Old Res Weather

Lexington, Massachusetts, USA

35°F

2/16/2025 7:17pm

Lexington Conditions: Clear
Temperature: 35.1°F / 1.7°C
Dew Point: 32.4°F
Relative Humidity: 90%
Wind: Calm, 10-min avg: Calm, gust: None
Barometer: 29.00 in Falling Slowly
Visibility: 10 miles
Rain Today: 0.01 in
UV Index: $VPuv None

Area Forecast Discussion
for Boston / Norton, MA

        
000
FXUS61 KBOX 031813
AFDBOX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
213 PM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A cold front brings the return of heavy rain and gusty winds 
Sunday night and Monday. Localized flash flooding possible. 

- After a quiet Tuesday unsettled weather returns mid week through 
the weekend with periods of showers and storms.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...A cold front brings the return of heavy rain and 
gusty winds Monday.  

An anomalously deep upper trough digging into the Ohio Valley will 
become cutoff as the broader longwave trough axis works its way 
slowly east. Its trough axis will cross over southern New England 
Monday night into Tuesday ushering in a much quiet and drier period. 
Before that, however, we'll be dealing with a very moist and dynamic 
system for the next 18-24 hours. This, as the shortwave and surface 
reflection pull copious amounts of moisture north into New England 
on strengthening SW flow (PWATs 2+ inches) with a 40-55 kt LLJ 
strengthening as it's core moves over the Cape and islands. 
Fortunately, even though BUFKIT soundings show 55kts down to about 
925mb, the low level inversion should keep the worst aloft. 
Regardless, it will be a gusty day, especially over southeast MA. 
While some brief stronger gusts can't be ruled out, they are more 
than likely to top out around 40 mph on Cape Cod. 

Regardless of its impact at the surface, said LLJ will certainly act 
as a strong forcing mechanism for our heavy rain. This together with 
divergence aloft/placement beneath the RRQ of an upper jet will lead 
to broad, deep layer ascent and widespread rain showers and 
thunderstorms. Continuing to expect an initial round of moderate to 
heavy rain showers this morning into the afternoon which has already 
begun to materialize. The atmosphere is primed for some heavy 
downpours and while we can't nail down exactly who will see these 
downpours, any convection would lead to a better chance of those 
higher rain rates hinted at by the HREF (low probability of as much 
as 1+/hr). 

There's unlikely to be a real break in the showers and embedded 
thunderstorms but any pockets of clearing skies between showers may 
lead to increased instability parameters and a better chance for one 
of these thunderstorms to become severe as a final source of forcing 
arrives in the evening in the form of a cold front. Any storms that 
do get going will be in an environment with 30-45 kts of 0-6km bulk 
shear meaning potential for organization and some damaging wind 
potential. 

When all is said and done (ending in western MA by 8pm, eastern MA 
by midnight) a widespread 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rain is expected. 
That being said, convective enhancement and potential for training 
thanks to boundary-parallel mean flow mean that localized areas 
could see significantly more, on the order of 3-4 inches. This 
amount, especially if it falls in a short period, may lead to street 
flooding and even isolated flash flooding situations. However, we 
don't expect a widespread flash flooding risk with this system. 

KEY MESSAGE 2...After a quiet Tuesday unsettled weather returns mid 
week through the weekend with periods of showers and storms.  

After a beautiful, mostly sunny, less humid day on Tuesday under 
high pressure ridging, unsettled weather returns Wednesday into the 
weekend. A broad mid level trough sets up over the eastern U.S. with 
several shortwaves rotating through the base of the broader trough 
and this will bring periodic rain and thunderstorm chances each day, 
especially in the afternoon/evening.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...

Low - less than 30 percent. 
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. 
High - greater than 60 percent.

18Z TAF Update: 

Today: Moderate confidence. 

Periods of RA this afternoon decrease fromt west to east 21-02Z.
Pockets of moderate to heavy rates possible. IFR/LIFR in 
RA/+RA. A last round scattered showers and thunderstorms likely
pushes through from west to east 18Z-00Z ahead of the 
approaching cold front. SW winds 10-20 kts with gusts 20-30 
kts, highest gusts for the Cape & Islands. 

Tonight: High confidence. 

Last of the scattered showers and storms push off the east MA
and the Cape 23-02Z. Otherwise expect a trend of improving
conditions with ceilings improving to VFR between 22Z(west) and
02Z (Cape/Islands). Patchy fog possible in valleys and for Cape
and Islands once they clear. Winds shift to the W/WNW behind the
front (22-02Z) at 5-10 kts. 

Tuesday: High confidence. 

VFR. Winds 5-10 kts, first W then becoming SW after 18Z.
Potential for a late-day sea breeze for BOS.

KBOS Terminal...Moderate confidence in TAF. 

-SHRA/SHRA this afternoon. A trailing line of scattered showers
 and thunderstorms is possible 21-00Z. Lower confidence on the
 potential for TSRA, but enough to include as a PROB30 given the
 unstable environment today. Conditions improve to VFR 23-01Z
 with the front as winds shift toward the W by 03Z. Winds become
 more SW tomorrow morning with potential for a late-day sea
 breeze. 

KBDL Terminal...Moderate confidence in TAF.

Outlook /Tuesday through Saturday/...

Tuesday through Tuesday Night: VFR. 

Wednesday through Wednesday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA.

Thursday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA, slight chance TSRA.

Thursday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA, slight chance TSRA.

Friday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA, chance TSRA.

Friday Night: VFR. Breezy. Slight chance SHRA, slight chance
TSRA.

Saturday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA, chance TSRA.

&&

.MARINE...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...

Low - less than 30 percent. 
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. 
High - greater than 60 percent.

Winds and seas increase into early this morning across the 
southern and eastern waters eventually increasing across the 
northern waters. Seas 5-9 ft for the outer coastal waters, 
especially south. 5-7 ft seas stretch into portions of the inner
souther waters. SW winds 15-20 kts with gusts around 30 kts. 
Can't rule out a few isolated gusts near Gale-force late 
morning-afternoon if winds mix down from the low level jet 
overhead. SCAs are in effect for all the coastal marine zones. 
Elevated seas will keep SCAs around through Tuesday for the 
southern waters.

A high surf advisory is in effect for the south coast and 
islands Tuesday. A strong 35-45 kt southerly low level jet will
help build waves 5-9 ft across the waters of RI and south of 
MVY-ACK Monday. Rough surf and strong rips are likely to linger 
into Tuesday. Will have to watch this as Tuesday is shaping up 
to be an ideal beach day.

Outlook /Tuesday through Saturday/...

Tuesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. 

Tuesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching
5 ft. 

Wednesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain
showers. 

Wednesday Night through Thursday Night: Winds less than 25 kt.
Areas of seas approaching 5 ft. 

Friday through Friday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to
5 ft. 

Saturday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft.

&&

.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...None.
MA...High Surf Advisory until 9 PM EDT this evening for MAZ023-024.
RI...High Surf Advisory until 9 PM EDT this evening for RIZ006>008.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 5 PM EDT this afternoon for ANZ230-
     231-236-251.
     Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM EDT Tuesday for ANZ232>234.
     Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT Tuesday for ANZ235-237-250-
     254.
     Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT Tuesday for ANZ255-256.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...BW
AVIATION...Mensch
MARINE...BW