Tropical Storm Threatens RI Dry Spell: When It May Rain Again

RHODE ISLAND — A remarkable stretch of dry weather in which Providence and many other Rhode Island cities and towns have gone nearly a month without measurable rain may be coming to an end this week as a tropical system gathers steam off the coast of the Carolinas.

Providence's last rain total measuring a "trace" or more was Sept. 7.

The next few days will continue to feature delightfully warm days and cool nights, with highs in the upper 70s and temperatures dropping into the 50s at night — with some 40s in the cooler suburbs.

The weather should make for a great viewing of the full Harvest supermoon on Tuesday night.

While the NWS said there is a "slight" chance of showers Wednesday afternoon, the more meaningful chance of real rain comes on Thursday when a storm currently threatening to turn into a tropical storm in the mid-Atlantic tries to push its way north.

But with high pressure still dominating over Canada, there is no sure thing the rain will make it to New England. The NWS put the chances of rain showers in Rhode Island at 35 percent on Thursday.

That chance continues into Thursday before the dry air is expected to return for the weekend, albeit with much cooler temperatures than this past one.

Friday is forecast to be mostly cloudy with a high near 70 degrees and a northeast wind making it more chilly along the coast.

Saturday and Sunday should finally feel more like fall with mostly sunny skies, highs in the 60s and a brisk easterly wind on both days.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)