A Normal Summertime Setup
Good Afternoon Folks! Passing clouds and pop up showers and thunderstorms will be the norm today through Saturday with shower chances increasing Sunday into Monday and then drying out by Tuesday of next week. It seems the best day this weekend to be outside will be Saturday, however rain chances remain, but coverage will most certainly increase on Sunday. Temps all the while remain on the cool side of average for this time of the year, but once the moisture leaves the area and full sunshine returns (Tuesday), temps are expected to creep back to normal levels. Speaking of which, for those looking forward to cooler weather, know that we have passed our hottest part of the year just over a week and half ago, with an average high of 85°F in Cullowhee for late July and with each passing day we shave off a little bit, with the current average high temp for the Whee being 84°F as of August 9th. The more noticeable change occurs roughly by mid September for the valley, but for the ridgelines, we could see cooler temps arriving by the end of this month!
Pop up showers and thunderstorms will make up the action today, tomorrow, and Saturday, however coverage should become more widespread Sunday, but it won't be a washout. Temps today through Saturday will peak to the low - mid 80's across the valleys, only reaching the mid 60's along the highest ridgelines. The best chance for shower coverage today through Saturday will be along the ridgelines, more so along the TN line and perhaps the Cowee Mountains and Great Balsams.
By Sunday however, the better chance to catch a shower or thunderstorm will be closer to the N GA and SC state lines as an upper level trough works with a lingering front (currently on it's way this afternoon) to pump Gulf moisture across the Appalachians late Saturday night. This will setup a muggy end to the weekend, with mostly cloudy skies overhead and temps only making it to the upper 70's - low 80's across the valleys; overnight lows dip into the low - mid 60's, much like every other night this week and next.
As odd as it may sound, we have a better chance for higher rainfall totals today through Saturday as opposed to Sunday, mainly due to the level of available instability (think thunderstorms and heavy downpours). With this in mind, an inch of rain is likely for most of the region today through Saturday, with Saturday featuring the lowest chance for shower coverage and although Sunday offers up more passing showers, the intensities should be much lighter than today or tomorrow (quarter - half inch of rain on Sunday).
The trough will swing through Monday and exit Tuesday, creating a wet start to the work and school week, however sunshine returns Tuesday with temps in the upper 70's Monday, rising to the mid - upper 80's.