5 Things You Need to Know Today: Friday, Sept. 21

Here are five pieces of information to help you get an early start to your weekend and to help make you the smartest person on the bus.

1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast: According to the NWS, today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

• Friday Night Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 51. East wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Saturday Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
• Saturday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2am. Patchy fog between 3am and 4am, then Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Sunday A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10am, then a slight chance of showers between 10am and 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 46.

2. So Long Summer: Today is the final full day of summer. Saturday, Sept. 22 is the Autumnal Equinox, with fall starting at precisely 10:49 a.m. EDT.

3. Reader Comment of the Day: "As far as I see it, teachers aren't ALLOWED to do their jobs anymore. All that matters is the kids pass the MCAS. It must be frustrating to them (the good ones, anyway, which my kids have been lucky to have). It is frustrating to me as a parent to see all the packets of practice MCAS busy work coming home instead of all the other things they could be learning." Reader Lauren, commenting on the story, "News Of Tewksbury Schools 'Downgrade' Premature and Inaccurate."

4. It's Happening Today: Tewksbury commuters will breathe a huge sigh of relief when the Brown Street/Whipple Road Bridge re-opens today. There will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

5. It's Also Happening Today: The TMHS Girls Varsity Volleyball team is home vs. Haverhill High. The Redmen are looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Chelmsford. The match is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in the TMHS gymnasium.