All week it's been pleasant here, sunny days, high, thin clouds, temps in the 50's and 60's, a light breeze. Spring had been showing herself around town, bright, swollen, chartreuse leaf buds on the ends of branches, pink magnolia pods getting ready to burst open, tulips and daffodils making ready their spring show. These had been the kinds of days someone had in mind when they first called the weather "fair."

But today, Boston Marathon day, the high is forecast to be 88, winds gusty out of the southwest, 20-35 miles per hour, bright and sunny, with few clouds to break the relentless glare. The temperature will rise 40 degrees in 9 hours, topping out 25-30 degrees above normal. Both the temperature and the wind speed will reach their peak just about the time the lead runners make the finish. The mid-packers and the stragglers can count on hell as they make their way up Boylston Avenue. At least the humidity will be relatively low.

The runners' only hope is the wind that will be out of the west. They'll have a tailwind to push them all the way into Boston, if, that is, they can stay on their feet. Southern competitors, and those who trained in desert climes, will have the advantage, if there is to be any advantage on a day like this. Times will drop to a crawl, as will the runners, medical tents will overflow, many will quit. But those who finish will likely be back to try themselves again next year.

Tomorrow, it will be back to a seasonable, reasonable high of 60, low in the 40's, another fair New England spring afternoon. We'll have high puffy clouds, the sky will be light blue, it will be an absolute peach of a day.

There's no explanation for a freak weather day such as this, one that will star a rag-tag cast of plucky competitors, who face an unexpected, insurmountable challenge, tailor-made to have many of them soiling themselves in public, puking their guts out on bystanders' lawns. No explanation at all, unless...

God writes for the Fox network.

Here's the forecast from the Weather Channel:


... NEAR RECORD WARMTH IS FORECAST FOR THE BOSTON AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS THE WARMEST WEATHER OF THE SPRING SO FAR ARRIVES IN MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND ON GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 35 MPH...

TEMPERATURES WILL RISE 40 DEGREES IN A 9 HOUR PERIOD ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AS WELL AS MUCH OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND... EXCEPT NOT THE SOUTH COASTS.

HIGHS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 83 AND 89 DEGREES WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF 89 DEGREE READINGS NEAR LOWELL MASSACHUSETTS UP INTO MANCHESTER AND NASHUA IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE... AND ALSO IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY... ESPECIALLY NEAR SPRINGFIELD AND JUST NORTH OF HARTFORD.

HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE 25 TO 30 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

THOSE PLANNING ON SPENDING SEVERAL HOURS OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON... ESPECIALLY IN AEROBIC ACTIVITY... SHOULD FREQUENTLY HYDRATE WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF NON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES INCLUDING DRINKS WHICH CAN REPLACE SODIUM DEPLETION. SUNSCREEN WILL BE HELPFUL.

IF YOU FEEL DIZZY OR NAUSEOUS... CONSIDER SEEKING IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR POSSIBLE HEAT RELATED DISORDERS.

THIS ROUND OF SUMMERLIKE WARMTH... WILL ONLY LAST ONE DAY. A COLD FRONT WILL USHER MUCH COOLER AIR INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TUESDAY....

--------------------------------
© 2003 - 2004 m. lucas