Another Round of Scattered Storms Today as Cool-Down Takes Effect for New England

For this afternoon and evening, the cold front will continue its trek across the region. Cool air advection behind the front will be weak, so there won't be rapid relief from the heat or humidity. While temperatures will be knocked down a notch on Thursday, widespread 80s will dominate. Humidity will also remain elevated. With that in mind, the front will act more as a mode for lift and forcing for another round of scattered showers and storms.

Like Wednesday, shower and storm activity will be scattered in nature, so not everyone will get a storm Thursday. The overall threat for storms will likely shift south and east compared to yesterday as the cold front pushes toward the coast in the afternoon and evening. The passage earlier in the day for western and northernmost New England will likely limit activity in those areas.

Storms will likely fire up once again in the mid-afternoon hours and last through the evening as they push to the coast. At this point, storms look to be widely scattered rather than widespread. This comes as the cold front will be weakening and forcing will be on the weaker side. Plenty of areas will end up staying dry today, likely more areas will avoid a storm than see one.

Below: Potential weather around mid-afternoon today:

The overall setup will be very similar to Wednesday, so the severe potential is lower once again, mainly due to the weak wind shear, which will prevent widespread strengthening and organizing of storms. Moisture will increase from Wednesday, however. Instability may also be more limited than yesterday, so less by way of severe weather is expected than the few stronger storms that popped up yesterday.

The main impact from any storm that forms will be the potential for torrential downpours. The greatest threat of downpours will be along and just south of where the cold front sets up this afternoon and evening. The front will likely set up across eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, leaving these areas with the highest chance for storm activity today.

Below: Forecast weather map for this evening, showing the front's location:

Moisture will be rich within the atmosphere ahead of the cold front as humidity spikes. Precipitable water values (a measure of moisture in the atmosphere that could become precipitation) will also near 2 inches across southernmost New England, indicating a moisture-rich environment. In addition, today's weak shear means overall flow will be weak, which will lead to slow-moving storms.

Today's flash flood threat appears to be similar to yesterday, which saw isolated and localized issues in Connecticut and northeast Massachusetts. This is mostly a beneficial rain given the recent dry spell, but isolated short-term flash flooding issues can't be ruled out if some areas see a storm sit overhead.

The cold front will likely have cleared New England by Friday morning. High pressure will build to New England's north, allowing for a drier and cooler air mass to take hold over New England. It won't really get cool behind this front, but a return to more seasonable temperatures is likely (mid 70s north to low 80s south). The upper-level ridge that brought the heat this week will be suppressed Friday and Saturday, but it will likely try to quickly rebuild as the weekend goes on. This would create a warming trend, with Saturday a notch warmer than Friday and Sunday back into full heat.

Another cold front looks to drop into New England later Sunday, bringing a quick end to the rebuilding heat. This front will set up a more lasting shot of cooler air for New England. Highs in the 70s look to dominate next week as weak troughing looks to dominate the region. This may also support more periods of unsettled weather as well.