The first half of today wound up being absolutely splendid, and actually quite warm, as temperatures warmed into the lower to mid 80's throughout the area. The morning and early afternoon were filled with plenty of sun, and even though temperatures started our somewhat low (overnight lows dipped into the 50's in many locations), early afternoon temperatures were able to rebound and it felt mighty warm throughout the area. To make things better, a westerly wind component kept a strong seabreeze from developing, so those who were at the beaches were able to enjoy it fully.  By afternoon, however, a mid level disturbance which we wrote about yesterday made it's entrance into the region, touching off scattered clouds, which have since become somewhat widespread across the area and are moving from west to east. Over the next few hours, this disturbance will shift east, and the clouds should decrease in coverage through the evening. We also have a special visit from a guest in space to speak of, and all of the details are below.

Through Tonight (Wednesday Night): Long sleeved shirts may be an option once again this evening, depending on where you are. In the city, overnight low temperatures will dip down only into the low to mid 60's, much depending on the cloud cover. Inland, earlier clearing is expected and temperatures are likely to fall into the 50's once again. No precipitation to speak of, so overall a great evening.

Tomorrow (Thursday): Things begin to get a little tricky. Storm approach from the west, but weaken, which could still lead to some cloud cover. Temperatures should get into the low to mid 80's again, but then the trouble begins as a backdoor cold front begins to develop to our east. Winds shifting to the east by afternoon means seabreeze development--and clouds could again increase Thursday evening as a mid level disturbance drops down from the north in association with the developing back door front. So in essence, a bit of a tossup, but definitely not as pleasant as the first two or three days of the week.

International Space Station does a double take: The International Space Station will fly over the area twice tonight, somewhat of a rarity in the space weather community. The first fly by is scheduled for 7:42pm. Look to the north-west sky at that time to see the ISS which, although not as bright as usual, should be visible, despite the sun set. The second ISS pass will come at 9:18pm, which will be slightly brighter because of the new moon and (obviously) lack of sun at that hour. Look again to the north-west sky to see the space station flying overhead. Much of this is dependent on clouds, though--if they are still in the way, you won't see the space station. Let us know if you do see it, make sure to reply here or on Facebook or Twitter. Pictures would be great, too!

Article written August 31st, 2011 at 6:57pm. Looking for a forecast? See New York Metro Weather's Long Range Forecast for the rest of the week, or view our Technical Forecast Discussion for the more serious weather enthusiasts. Also, check out our new Forecast Overview tab. For up to the minute details on forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.