First cool air of fall!

[WXMAN76]

Get out the heavy coats and gloves!! Well, not yet it is still August but our first cool Canadian High pressure system since Spring is taking over New England the next couple of days. Any clouds today will melt away leaving a clear sky Monday night. Overnight lows for most folks will stay near or above 50, but the cooler spots will see lows dip to near 40! As is typical with cold frontal passages in the fall the coldest night is the SECOND night after the frontal passage as winds drop off and the high crests overhead. Lows Tuesday Night and Wednesday AM will feature fog in valleys with lows in the 40s but the colder hollows will have their first chance to dip into the 30s! They will be isolated but nonetheless it's a sign of things to come. I knew my pumpkins turning orange meant something!

[ctyanky]

Hi WXMAN: It's great to see you back on the foliage forum! I was wondering when you were going to appear!

So, this is one blessed autumnal day! A tease, no a gift, from Mother Nature. It is simply GORGEOUS outside and if you close your eyes, you can sense the change coming with those cool breezes! The smell is different too! It's pre-season days such as this that make those wretched, HHH days of summer worth suffering through!!!!!!! I know we have some hot spells ahead but soon they will be a thing of the past.

I read the forecast for northern CT before I read your post and you are right on. We should be in the low 50's tonight and the smaller pockets of the NW corner in the 40's. I can't wait to leave every window in the house open and stay nice and cozy under my down blanket! The next two days are supposed to be just like today but the nights cooler!

One of the bushes near my house popped a few red leaves. And, I plan on putting them on my neighbor's stoop. He is NOT a fall lover because to him it means winter follows! He'll know who did it and will rant and rave when I see him. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he opens his door in the a.m.!!!!

This weather is enough to make me crazy (er) for fall! Time to start getting the autumn decor out there!!!!

P.S. Here is Matt Sutkoski's (of the Burlington Free Press) weather report from today! He is my favorite VT forecaster!

http://blogs.burlingtonfreepress.com/we ... fall-hint/

[WXMAN76]

Thanks CT! Good to be back. Thanks for the link. Obviously made my forecast b4 I saw that but it looks like we are both on target for the upcoming weather. I know I felt the feel of fall today too, I almost fell asleep outside today it was so nice. But a storm is a brewing, Irene. She should make a direct hit on NC before passing offshore. I am still worried about a second landfall, possibly as a Cat 1 hurricane in New England, specifically Southeastern New England. Vermont will get a lot of rain and some wind but the East would take the brunt of things. Lots of talk of the remnants of Irene up here Sunday or Monday. I have a friend who is an excellent hurricane and long range forecaster so I get some inside info! He is worried too, plus we haven't had a direct hurricane hit since Bob in 1991. Here in New England we have an 11 year return period or we expect 1 good blow every 11 years. It's been 20 yrs. We are just a bit overdue.

I will keep all up to date. BTW looks like another cool blast behind Irene Middle of Next week. Then again Somewhere around Sept 5. So the seasons are definitely changing! Stressed trees here are showing their colors too. So far looks like those colors are bright. Fields are nice and green. Personally I have high hopes on this foliage season!

[ctyanky]

One month from today is the first day of autumn! And it is DEFINATELY sweatshirt weather this a.m.!!!! Low 50's and chilly! Another day of fall splendor on top from Mother Nature!

[WXMAN76]

39 Last night island pond airport!!! Gotta love it!
40 Sutton 41 Walden!

Another cold one tonight - could be a few degrees lower!

BTW no changes on irene. Sun-Mon Category 1 hurricane over Southeastern MA. (Best guess between the canal and Boston) This will be a LARGE storm around 150 miles either side of the center so expect a dousing in VT and some good winds too. NH/ME mountains to take the brunt. Another cool blast to follow.

Slept like a rock last night it was soooo nice!

[ixl]

Hey WXMAN,

Thanks for the update. I'm watching the storm as well.

Any ideas what this is likely to do to coastal Maine? For the last several years I have been trying to go there for fall foliage and it's always one thing or another.

[WXMAN76]

Well the good news is with the expected track most of New England will be on the Weaker western side of the storm. it could definitely do some damage, where the ground is especially wet this autumn worried about trees blowing over. Canopies up here on the coast are healthy though. This is still 6 days out and a lot can happen so to get too specific is hard. Rest assured I will keep this forum up to date as i can. Frankly though, more worried about the Cape.

Columbus day weekend is usually a good weekend. I usually go to Wiscassett that weekend and it is usually nice color. You definitely want to get north of Portland then follow rt 1. south of there it's really built up, not to say there aren't really nice spots like Ogunquit. Personally I like the smaller villages of Midcoast. Also a nice ride is Maine Eastern Railroad from Brunswick to Rockland. I think like 47 miles each way up the coast. Good relaxing way to see the coast.

[ixl]

The track right now has me pretty worried about a lot of New England.. and not just over the foliage. :/

[WXMAN76]

Yeah the national Hurricane Center has the track almost on top of where I have had it for the last couple of days. Yeah I continue to be worried about Eastern new England. Definitely see sustained winds of at least 75-80 mph. Potential exists to see stronger winds. Waters off the Mid Atlantic coast are above normal and with a forecast of her passing less over NC, not a good scenerio at all for New England.

Large area of the storm will mean the effects will be long reaching, well into Vermont. While the worst will stay east of the Whites, Expect plenty of rain and windy conditions in Vermont too. I would encourage all in New England to seriously consider preparing for this storm. it is far better to be over prepared than under prepared. This will be worse than Bob, More like Gloria, and possibly a storm like we havent seen since 54 if she fails to weaken over NC.

Will keep all posted.

[Utah Baker]

Everyone please take care! Just looked a the last forcasts, mother nature will take care of herself, you all do the same. I pray that all will be well with you and yours. Batten down the hatches!

[WXMAN76]

I've started a thread for Irene which will have the latest on this storm, which when all is said and done could be a top 5 hurricane to hit New England.

Following Irene will be another nice cool shot. Labor day weekend looks sunny hot and humid, but the week after lookout below coldest of the season so far! No 30's last night that I know of but sutton got down to 40! All be safe!