Providence is in for one last warm taste of summer Friday, with clear skies early, temperatures climbing toward 80 degrees and showers arriving later in the day. The warm spell fades quickly, though, as cooler air settles in for a mostly sunny but noticeably chillier weekend and start to next week.
Warm Friday Gives Way To Evening Showers
Friday morning begins clear and mild, with temperatures around the mid-60s shortly after sunrise. Southwest winds will increase to 7 to 12 mph, while afternoon temperatures reach near 80 under mostly sunny to partly sunny skies.
An 80-degree high would run 11 degrees above Providence’s 69-degree normal high for Oct. 2; the city already reached 76 degrees on Oct. 1, seven above that day’s normal. The National Weather Service’s daily climate summary lists Providence’s October record high as 88 degrees, set Oct. 10, 1949, making Friday’s warmth notable but not a monthly record.
Showers are expected to develop around 3 or 4 p.m. Friday and continue into the evening, with the best chance of rain arriving between late afternoon and midnight. The National Weather Service says a few heavier downpours are possible, along with an isolated rumble of thunder, before the front moves offshore; rainfall totals could reach between a tenth and a quarter inch in spots.
The showers arrive amid a wet start to fall. By Oct. 1, Providence had recorded 9.67 inches of precipitation since Sept. 1, compared with a 4.31-inch normal for that period—a 5.36-inch surplus, the NWS climate summary shows. Against that accumulated excess, Friday’s forecast tenth-to-quarter-inch rainfall would be modest, though it would add to the season’s total.
Saturday Brings A Noticeable Temperature Drop
Behind the front, Saturday will feel like a different season, with sunny skies and a high near 69 degrees. Northeast winds around 7 mph will keep the day cooler, while Saturday night turns mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 47.
Sunday stays fairly quiet but cooler, with partly sunny skies and a high near 65. A slight chance of showers returns Sunday night, particularly south of Interstate 95, but the chance of rain remains low around Providence.
Chilly Start To Next Week
Monday should be mostly sunny with a high near 68, followed by a brisker night and a low around 43. Tuesday looks sunny but much cooler, with a high near 58 and an overnight low around 40.
The week gradually moderates after that early-week chill, with sunny, seasonable weather expected Wednesday and Thursday. Friday's marine conditions will also be rougher than recent calm stretches, with a Small Craft Advisory posted for nearby coastal waters as southwest gusts reach 20 to 25 mph.
