I have thermometer readout next to my bed so when I get up in the morning I can see how warm or cold it is.  Around 5:30, when I glanced at the reading this morning I was happy to see the number 50 staring back at me.  Yesterday we started the day quite cold and frosty, but this morning a southwest wind has kept readings above freezing all night.

April mornings can still be quite cold and frosty.  It’s not unheard of for inland areas to hit the mid or even lower 20s.    While the next few days look mild, there are signs of a colder trend for the middle of next week.

If you are putting out flowers this weekend, pansies and heathers will do fine even against a hard freeze.   Many garden centers have lettuce, kale, broccoli and onions.  All of these can also be planted right now.  I know those of you over inland areas north of Gray and towards Augusta still have snow on the ground.  The next few days will help melt much that snow.

Over southern Maine, many of the fields have been quite wet from the recent rain, but as the grass begins to grow it will need more and more water and the lawns will continue to dry.  I heard from my Dad that his favorite driving range is now open.  This is going to be a great weekend to golf on any open courses.

This morning we find a cold front crossing the region.   This front is moving slowly and is bringing a few showers to the area.  Nearly all of the showers will be gone this afternoon and this will set us up for a great weekend.  High temperatures today in Portland will be in the upper 50s.  Many areas southwest of the city could nudge into the lower 60s.

The highlight on Saturday is going to be for sunny skies.  It will be mild with highs in the 50s to lower 60s.  The coolest spots this weekend will be along the coast where sea breezes keep temperatures in check.  If you are headed to the coast this weekend, bring a jacket because it might be as much as 10 degrees colder right along the water as compared to places like Sanford, Oxford and Gray.

Sunday also looks like a great day with sunshine and a few clouds.  We will still have the same temperature spread from the coast to inland area.  This is the typical regime we see for much of the spring and summer.

Early next week a mass of colder air will be building in Canada and will spill into New England for a few days.  After the mildest day of the spring so far on Monday, a storm system will bring rain for Tuesday and Tuesday night.  Once this system departs the area, you can expect much chillier conditions to return.

I’ll be updating the forecast on Twitter @growingwisdom. Follow @growingwisdom

 April is an important month to see adequate rain.   While a wet April doesn’t mean there won’t be issues this summer with rain, a dry April can set the stage for bigger problems later in the season.  So far, we are doing great with moisture and if this keeps up, you won’t read about me touting the need for rain too much this summer.

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