A beautiful day, but rain is in the forecast

By Melissa M. Werthmann, Globe Correspondent

Bay State residents might have had to grab an extra blanket Sunday night, as temperatures dropped to the 30s in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologist Alan Dunham said overnight temperatures were in the upper 30s in the northwestern part of the state. The lowest temperature he saw in the region was 36, in southwest New Hampshire, he said.

The frigid numbers were caused by a high pressure system that brought in clear skies and light winds, Dunham said.

Massachusetts residents won’t have to brave such low temperatures this week, but will have to battle heavy rain and thunderstorms starting Tuesday, according to the weather service.

Showers will break out in the afternoon, and winds will gust up to 30 miles per hour thanks to a cold front moving into the region, Dunham said.

“The heaviest rain will be out in the western part of the state,” he said.

The storms will continue Tuesday night as the front slowly works across the state.

“It’ll be a warm night with lows in the mid-60s” and winds up to 40 miles per hour, Dunham said.

The rain will be spotty, so expected rainfall amounts are difficult to predict, he said.

“If a thunderstorm passes overhead you could see an inch to an inch and a half of rain,” he said.

While the state is a slightly more than a half-inch above normal rain totals for the month of September, Massachusetts is 4.91 inches below the average yearly total at this time.

The cold front should push off to the east Wednesday morning, but the chance for rain remains.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see some showers for when the kids are going to school Wednesday morning,” he said.

Wednesday morning will also be breezy and less humid, Dunham said.

The sun will return by Thursday and temperatures will be near 70, according to the weather service.

Today will be sunny with a high of 76.

Tonight will be mostly clear and temperatures will dip into the 50s overnight, Dunham said.

“Not quite as chilly” as Sunday night, he said.