A brief taste of summer will be followed by an early shot of early-season cold as temperatures fall from highs in the 80s on Friday to a frost warning for many across Massachusetts next week.
The good news is that, after a string of rainy September weekends and last week's three-day nor'easter, it will be a seasonable and mostly sunny weekend with highs in the 60s.
But a cold front moving through with some showers on Sunday night will usher in some of the chilliest air since late last spring on Monday, with crisp days in the 60s and nighttime lows that could dip down toward 30 degrees in the valleys of Massachusetts on Monday and Tuesday night.
The fall weather is also making foliage more noticeable in parts of the area, with the cold snap ahead kick-starting the turning of the leaves, according to AccuWeather.
"Peak color is expected in the Adirondacks and the Green and White mountains this weekend, and the weather should not disappoint. Farther south, the color change has been much more patchy so far, which is normal for this time of year," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "These (cooler night) weather conditions will also accelerate the color change farther south, with excellent viewing conditions into the Berkshires, Catskills, Poconos and even as far south as the West Virginia mountains."
Temperatures are expected to moderate later next week with highs approaching 70 degrees and nighttime lows closer to 50.
See Latest Forecast (National Weather Service):
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph.
Friday Night
A chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Cloudy, then gradual clearing toward daybreak, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind around 7 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Calm wind. Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. East wind 5 to 9 mph.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of showers between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Light southwest wind becoming west 8 to 13 mph in the morning.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 58. West wind 11 to 13 mph.
Tuesday Night
Clear, with a low around 42. West wind around 6 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind around 6 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Southwest wind around 7 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 66. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph.
See Also: El Niño 'Supersized Before Our Eyes': What This Means For Winter In MA
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