Belvedere Castle is where the National Weather Service takes official observations for Central Park. Look closely at the top of Belvedere Castle's tower and you'll see two anemometers. On the right is the classic cup anemometer, which measures wind speed by how fast the wind can make three cups spin. A sonic anemometer on the left measures wind speed by observing how fast ultrasonic sound waves move. Outside of the frame, just south of the castle, is a fenced-in instrument cluster of thermometers, hygrometers, rain gauges, etc. The official thermometer measured a high of 55 degrees yesterday, quite cool for mid-April. That cool weather will ease only slightly today as there's an east wind off the ocean.
An easterly wind and sunny skies means there's high pressure to our north. As that high moves out over the ocean, a weak low pressure system is going to scoot up the coast. The wind will pick up a bit as the two systems get closer together. The low will pass close enough to bring a slight chance of showers tonight and tomorrow but tomorrow's more likely to just be cloudy and cool.
The storm's passage should bring a warm Wednesday. Well, if you call mid 60s warm it will be warm on Wednesday. A cold front on Wednesday night will bring another chance of showers and send the temperature back to the mid 50s on Thursday. Seasonable temperatures, with highs in the lower 60s, should follow through the weekend.
