^[1] The good news is that rain is likely through the week till Saturday. The bad news is that rain is likely through the week till Saturday.

The warmth of an oddly over-long October summer (not to be confused with The September that Never Ended ^[2]) has finally given way to a slow-moving cold front coming up from the south, bringing much-needed rain to relieve the drought, and gray and gloomy days for the rest of the work-week. This may well be the front that finally ushers in Fall for real — but then that’s what we thought the last time the temperatures dropped.

So have an umbrella handy, and break out the light sweaters. If you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet, schedule it up — colder temperatures can mean lower immune resistance and more people crowding into indoor spaces where a cough or a sneeze is more likely to catch you. Wash hands often and don’t touch your nose or mouth before washing. Use an extra paper towel to open public restroom doors from the inside. Germs. They’re everywhere. Bring your own utensils to restaurants, too. Keep a strong alcohol-based hand sanitizer on you at all times. And wear tissue boxes on your feet. Yes, yes, that’ll keep those microbes away!

Ahem.

As always, Capital Weather ^[3] is on top of things, and the NWS Northeast Radar Mosaic ^[1] lets you obsessively keep track of precipitation as it moves up the coast.

Also a good time to stock up on hot chocolate. Heat will kill germs.