MANCHESTER, NH – The Granite State wakes under a patchy fog blanket this Tuesday morning, the air damp and soft at 51°F. But that calm won’t hold for long — a wet, wind-swept stretch is building across southern New Hampshire, setting the stage for a sharp drop in temperatures by midweek.
According to the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, light fog will lift quickly this morning before sunshine breaks through. Showers, however, move in late Tuesday, expanding across Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties after dark. The heaviest rain arrives Wednesday morning with gusts up to 20 mph along I-293 and the Everett Turnpike. Commuters should prepare for slower travel, slick pavement, and brief ponding in low spots as another round of steady rain falls through early afternoon.
Once the front clears, winds swing northwest and drier, cooler air pours in. Highs Wednesday will struggle to reach the mid-60s, tumbling toward the upper 30s by early Thursday. The crisp change will make Thursday feel much more like late October, with early frost possible in sheltered valleys by Friday morning. For now, the metro core should stay a few degrees above freezing, but rural towns west of Manchester could flirt with the season’s first First Fall Freeze.
Residents should finish outdoor cleanup, cover late gardens, and check furnace filters before colder air settles in.
Looking toward the weekend, skies stay mostly sunny with highs near 56°F and lows in the low to mid-30s — perfect for leaf-peeping drives or early Halloween decorating, but a clear sign winter’s chill is edging closer.
Five-Day Forecast for Manchester, NH:
Tue: 65/47 – Patchy fog; partly sunny then clouds increase.
Wed: 64/39 – Rain and breezy; cooler by afternoon.
Thu: 59/38 – Mostly sunny; crisp, dry air returns.
Fri: 58/35 – Clear and cool; frost possible inland.
Sat: 56/34 – Sunny; chilly mornings, bright afternoons.
