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Cape Ann Current: Keeping Cape Ann current

Free public information for Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, in plain English

Harbor and Environment

Morning fog, then partly sunny and near 72 Wednesday, a sunny, cooler Thursday and rain Friday

Patchy fog this morning gives way to a mild afternoon with a chance of a shower between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday is sunny with a high near 57, and rain is all but certain Friday. Afternoon high tides near 9.4 feet.

GloucesterRockportEssexManchester-by-the-Sea

By Ana Lucia · Wednesday, October 14 · Updated Wednesday, October 14How we work

Trust Check: Checked against public records

Fog this morning, then a mild, partly sunny afternoon, the National Weather Service says. Thursday turns sunny and much cooler, and rain moves in Friday.

The forecast

The National Weather Service in Norton expects the following in Gloucester, in its 4:17 a.m. update:

  • Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10 a.m., then a chance of showers between 3 and 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. West wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
  • Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Northwest wind 7 to 16 mph.
  • Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 3 to 16 mph.
  • Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48 and a chance of showers after 3 a.m. Chance of rain 30 percent.
  • Friday: Rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 63. South wind 8 to 17 mph. Chance of rain 100 percent.

On the water

No marine advisories are posted for Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay this morning. Today, west winds of 5 to 10 knots with gusts up to 20 knots, seas of 2 to 4 feet, and patchy fog this morning with visibility of 1 nautical mile or less. Tonight, northwest winds of 10 to 15 knots, rising to 15 to 20 knots after midnight with gusts up to 25 knots. Thursday, north winds of 15 to 20 knots ease to 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Friday brings south winds of 15 to 20 knots and showers, and the forecast calls for northwest winds of 25 to 30 knots Saturday, with seas of 3 to 5 feet.

Tides

High tides in Gloucester Harbor, according to NOAA predictions:

  • Wednesday: 2:09 a.m. (8.5 feet) and 2:14 p.m. (9.4 feet). Low tides at 8:02 a.m. and 8:36 p.m.
  • Thursday: 2:50 a.m. (8.1 feet) and 2:56 p.m. (9.1 feet). Low tides at 8:43 a.m. and 9:20 p.m.

Rockport's tides come 2 to 5 minutes earlier than Gloucester Harbor's. In the Essex River, they come about 4 to 28 minutes later.

Rain and the drought

The state's drought status page still lists Cape Ann's region at Level 2, Significant Drought, declared Oct. 9. The state's Drought Management Task Force next meets Nov. 6. Read what the drought level means.

Earlier coverage: Gray with a few showers Tuesday, then sunny and near 71 Wednesday (Oct. 13), Tuesday's forecast.

Sources

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