A sunny start to Thursday with a chance of showers - The Boston Globe (2025)

We will see a dry and sunny start as high pressure starts to slip away from the area. The morning starts mild, in the 50s, with temperatures rising to the upper 60s to low 70s as more clouds build in the afternoon.

Scattered showers will move into Northern New England starting late morning and lasting through the afternoon. A few showers could slip into Massachusetts but won’t make it too far south of I-90. Boston will look to stay mostly dry with the chance for a quick sprinkle late, after the commute home. Lows will dip into the mid-50s under mostly cloudy night skies.

High pressure continues to stick around through the morning and set up another quiet and sunny start to Thursday. As the morning goes on, the core of the high pressure will slip offshore to the east while a weak storm will speed into Northern New England from the northwest in its wake.

Clouds will work back into the region and bring the chance for scattered showers to cross through the region, concentrating mostly on Northern New England.

Southern New England, including Boston, should see some increasing clouds by the afternoon with a low chance for a light shower or two that could reach as far south as the Mass Pike, or perhaps to the Connecticut/Rhode Island border. Any shower activity in Boston should hold off until after work wraps up for the day. The sun should still peek through at times through sunset.

The showers on Thursday up north will help with the wildfires that have ignited over parts of Maine and New Hampshire.

The interesting meteorological component of this setup is that the exiting high will sling some dry air into Southern New England from the south, wicking out some moisture from the incoming storm and keeping most of Southern New England dry for the entire day. Rain totals up north should stay very light, under a quarter of an inch.

As far as temperatures, Thursday begins mild with your morning commute in the mid- to upper 50s from a helpful southerly flow under partly cloudy skies. Highs are expected to reach the mid- to upper 70s across Southern New England, mainly west of I-95. An afternoon sea breeze should keep Boston a touch cooler, settling around 69 or 70 degrees.

Winds will remain pretty relaxed on Thursday with speeds under 10 miles per hour. Skies turn partly to mostly cloudy, with a chance for a spot sprinkle overnight.

Our next chance for widespread rain comes Saturday, which could end up delivering about an inch or more of rain during the day.

Greater Boston: A sunny start with clouds building in the afternoon. Highs to the upper 60s or touching 70. A slight sea breeze and a low chance for a spot shower later in the day. Clouds build overnight with lows in the mid-50s.

Central/Western Mass.: A bright morning with some clouds building in by late morning. Highs jump to the mid- to upper 70s under light winds. The highest elevations in the Berkshires will only get to about 70 degrees. A few spots in the Pioneer Valley can reach 80. A sprinkle is possible in the afternoon and early evening. Lows to the mid-50s under mostly cloudy skies.

Southeastern Mass.: A sunny start with a few clouds building throughout the day. Staying dry as highs reach the upper 60s. A southerly flow brings a slight, cooler sea breeze into the region. A low chance for a sprinkle overnight as lows drop to the mid-50s.

Cape and Islands: A mostly sunny start with a few clouds building in the afternoon. Highs to the upper 50s and low 60s from a minor sea breeze. Temperatures fall to the upper 40s with a spot shower possible.

Rhode Island: A bright start with highs boosting to the low and mid-70s. A few clouds in the afternoon with a very low chance of a brief sprinkle. Lows to the low 50s under mostly cloudy skies.

New Hampshire: A mix of sun and clouds to begin, with more clouds building through the morning. Scattered showers push into the state starting late morning and lasting through much of the afternoon. Rainfall stays very light and scattered, some areas stay dry. Highs to the upper 60s north of Concord, into the low 70s south. Lows drop to the mid- and upper 40s.

Vermont/Maine: Partly sunny with clouds building in the morning for Vermont, and early afternoon for Maine. Scattered showers are possible as highs reach the upper 60s and low 70s. A couple of sprinkles linger into the evening as lows slip to the low 50s in Vermont and mid-40s across Maine.

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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.