5 Things You Need to Know Today: Oct. 9

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 9, and here are the five things you need to know:

1. You'll want to bring an umbrella with you when you leave the house today. The National Weather Service is predicting that local residents can expect a chance of rain. Otherwise it will be cloudy, with a high near 56. Tonight should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. (sunrise, 6:49 a.m.; low tide, 11:28 a.m.; high tide, 5:45 p.m.; sunset, 6:12 p.m.)

2. In addition to the well-known television and radio alerts, the Massachusetts Emergency Management System on Friday unveiled a new tool to keep Bay Staters abreast of urgent news. The latest system is called Ping4alerts! and allows residents to sign up for a free mobile app.

3. The Historical Commission will meet this morning on the second floor of Abbot Hall. The meeting, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., is expected to feature a discussion regarding several ongoing preservation projects, according to the posted agenda.

4. Marblehead High School's girls' varsity soccer team will host Lynn Classical this afternoon at Piper Field. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m., so consider stopping by to cheer them on.

5. Today in History: On Oct. 9, 1812, during the War of 1812, American forces captured two British ships during a naval engagement on Lake Erie. Captured were the HMS Detroit and the HMS Caledonia.

For more things going on in Marblehead today, check out our events calendar.