Thunderstorms in the region

17:20EDT
The one thing about fall is that, even though the cooler air arrives, you get stronger cold fronts to trigger stronger storms. Right now, a very intense line of thunderstorms is moving through the region. Keene is on the northern edge of a line that extends from Keene down into CT and then west into NY and PA. Severe thunderstorm warnings are up for counties in NY and PA with special weather statements and short term forecasts up across New England. In Keene, thunder has been rattling window panes for the past half an hour with on and off light rain. I have seen one flash of lightning so far.

Colder air will move in behind the front. Highs tomorrow will struggle past 60 with lows tumbling into the low 40s. The coldest night of the up coming week will be Monday Night when temperatures will fall into the mid 30s for the first time this season. We may have to watch out for some frost in the valleys, where temps may nudge the freezing point. Temperatures will begin to moderate as we approach the later part of next week.

Tropical Storm Florence is about to become another chapter in the book of 2006: the year of the weakening storm. Florence, depsite light shear and warm waters, refuses to intensify. Her winds currently sit at 65mph after a peak of 70mph (just under the hurricane threshold) earlier today. Strengthening should resume tonight into tomorrow. And Florence SHOULD become at least a category 1 hurricane tomorrow. While she has tracked a bit further to the west than the NHC forecast (in line with my original forecast) Florence has started to make a turn to the north ahead of an upper-level trough. Hurricane watches are up for Bermuda.