Forecast: Gorgeous, crisp fall weekend behind front

Warmer and unsettled weather which affected the area late this week is on the way out, being pushed away by a cold front which pushed through the region Thursday Night. The first in a series of expected cold fronts through late next week, cooler and less humid air will spill into the region by Friday afternoon. Luckily, along with the cooler air will come pleasant conditions with clearing skies and light westerly winds. This weekends weather will be characterized by plenty of sunshine, and temperatures topping out in the upper 60s. As it looks now, another gem on a long running list of great weekends which stretched back to September.

Visible satellite imagery from the morning of October 18th, 2013 showing improving conditions behind a cold front.

Visible satellite imagery from the morning of October 18th, 2013 showing improving conditions behind a cold front.

The changing winds will be the first sign of a larger scale pattern change which is taking place throughout the Northern Hemisphere. As a large ridge spikes on the west coast. reaching as far north as British Columbia, cold air and a large trough will gradually be displaced to the south over the Central and Northern United States. A series of disturbances and associated cold fronts will sweep through the area over the next 5 to 7 days, bringing colder air each time — and quickly making it feel more like late November than late October.

Orionid Meteors peak this weekend: The annual Orionid meteor shower peaks this weekend, during the early morning hours of October 21st. The typically consistent meteor shower is expected to produce up to 50 shooting stars per hour, which falls firmly into the average for the Orionids. This year, however, a very bright moon will make viewing more difficult.

Orionid viewing information for 2013. The shower peaks on the morning of October 22nd.

Although the moon will not completely hamper viewing of the meteor shower, the extra light will certainly hide some. So if you’re looking for the best viewing conditions, we strongly suggest heading out to the suburbs or upstate this weekend. The combination of the bright moon and light pollution in the city will make it fairly difficult to see the real show.

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