TONIGHT: Evening thunderstorms could be gusty. Showers linger until around midnight or so. Winds become blustery overnight. The low: 67.
FRIDAY: High pressure following quickly on the heels of the cold front that pushes through overnight on Thursday brings us partly to mostly sunny skies for the end of the work week with an afternoon high near 80. It will be nice, but breezy.
THE SHORE THIS WEEKEND: The weather will be great with sunshine and highs in the 70s, but look out in the water. The passing Hurricane Igor will force heavy surf onto the beaches and rip currents are possible. Since many communities do not have lifeguards on duty, or have reduced staff after Labor Day, I'm advising you to either avoid swimming in the ocean or take care to only go into up to your ankles. Remember, if you do get swept out to sea by a rip current, swim north or south, parallel to the beach to get out of the current. Then, slowly swim straight back to the beach.
SATURDAY: High pressure remains in control and things are looking GREAT! Look for highs of 78 with plenty of sunshine.
SUNDAY: A weak ripple in the upper levels of the atmosphere rolls through giving us an increased chance for a few clouds to pop up, especially in the afternoon. In general though this will be a day with plenty of sunshine and a high of 82.
MONDAY: A reinforcing high pressure system from south central Canada moves into the Great Lakes providing us with a renewed shot of somewhat cooler air. Under mostly sunny skies our high will remain in the upper 70s, which is right around normal for the middle of September. We'll go for 78.TUESDAY: High pressure moves right over us and then begins to migrate offshore. The day starts out with lots of sunshine with a few high cirrus clouds in the afternoon as a warm front approaches from the Ohio Valley. The high: 80.
WEDNESDAY: As that warm front lifts through and we get into a southwesterly flow temperatures will bump into the mid 80s. Look for a mix of sun & clouds due to the increasing moisture levels in the atmosphere.
THURSDAY: It's looking mostly sunny and warm with a high around 82. Still no big rain in sight to help fill our low aquifers.
THE TROPICS: As of 5am, HURRICANE IGOR is still Category 4 major hurricane with slightly stronger 145 mph winds. The storm is continuing its turn to the north and Igor still looks like big trouble for Bermuda this weekend. Igor should pass within 50 miles of Bermuda around midnight Sunday, probably as a category 1 or 2 hurricane. Again, the U.S. east coast will see large swells and rip currents this weekend, including along the New Jersey and Delaware beaches. Meanwhile, anyone with travel plans to Bermuda should keep a very close eye on the forecast. HURRICANE JULIA is deteriorating rapidly. It's down to a Category 2 storm from a Cat 4 yesterday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. By the way, when Igor and Julia were both Cat 4s yesterday, it was the first time since 1926 that we've had two cat 4s in the Atlantic at the same time, and only the second time in more than a century. Julia still looks like a non-newsworthy storm, expected to die a harmless death in the central Atlantic away from any land masses. TROPICAL STORM KARL is emerging in the southern Gulf of Mexico after crossing the Yucatan Pennisula last night. It's a strengthening Tropical Storm with 50 mph winds. Karl is still expected to head for the east coast of Mexico near Tampico overnight Friday into Saturday, probably as a Category 1 Hurricane. It does not look to threaten the U.S. mainland along the Gulf Coast.
WATER CONCERNS: Voluntary water conservation is still being requested by authorities in New Jersey as well as Lower Makefield Twp., Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Other communities could follow. Our region's aquifers (underground rivers of water that supply drinking wells) are running low thanks to the lack of rain over the last several weeks, and very little rain overall through the second half of the summer. Limit watering lawns, washing cars at home, as well as running appliances like washers and dishwashers (make sure they're loaded before you use them). You can also cut the time of showers.
