Another day, another round of showers. May has been a soggy month so far. We haven’t been able to last more than two or three days without rain. And with Memorial Day approaching, we are keeping a close eye on the forecast and what it means for your weekend plans.
An offshore low-pressure system brought chilly and soggy weather to the tri-state Wednesday and Thursday, knocking temperatures down to the 40s and 50s and delivering about a half inch to an inch of rain across the region, with locally higher amounts along eastern Long Island. Most areas dry out starting Thursday evening, but we don’t completely escape the influence of this low-pressure system heading into the end of the week.
Friday will be a nicer day. Clouds will continue to dominate the skies, even a stray shower or two is possible, but it won’t be wet all day. To be extra prepared, pack the small umbrella with you before heading out for the day, though you won’t need to use it much, if at all. On top of the drier skies, temperatures will trend up, albeit slowly. We’ll manage to hit 60 degrees Friday afternoon. That’s significantly warmer than the upper 40s and low 50s of Thursday, but it’s still about 10-15 degrees cooler than the 73-degree normal for this time of year. It’ll feel more like early April than late May.
We officially welcome the weekend, and the unofficial start of summer, on a similarly cool note. Temperatures continue to trend upward, but only incrementally so. Saturday and Sunday both keep our highs in the 60s. These cooler temperatures come along with breezy conditions, especially out on Long Island. If you plan on attending the Jones Beach Air Show on either day, it would be a good idea to bring a light jacket or sweater with you. By Memorial Day on Monday, highs will finally climb back into the 70s. This will be the nicest day of the weekend. Any outdoor barbeques are in the great shape; it’ll be partly sunny and warm, but not uncomfortably hot. Overall, it’s going to be a lovely day to be outside, no matter what you have planned.
The one caveat in the forecast comes with respect to beach weather. It’s by no means a terrible forecast, especially if you want to go for a walk along the beach or on the boardwalk, but if you are hoping for sunbathing and swimming weather, we are not quite there yet. You could be comfortable enough on the sand, but with coastal temperatures staying in the 60s to low 70s and ocean temperatures only in the upper 50s, it’s not a day you’ll want to spend any time in the water. Despite the cool temperatures across the board, the one thing this Memorial Day Weekend has going for it are the dry skies. Historically, we have had rotten luck when it comes to Memorial Day Weekend rain, so this will be a nice change. Looking back, we’ve had measurable rain on all but two of the last 10 holiday weekends. While we can’t completely rule out an isolated shower or sprinkle coming through, most of us will manage to get through the weekend unscathed. That alone makes it a pretty decent weekend forecast, even if our “start of summer” is going to feel a lot more like a continuation of spring.
