Showers Wednesday; Mid 70's Thursday
Good Afternoon Folks! Temps have hit the low 70's this afternoon in places like Sylva, Cullowhee and Waynesville and we expect temps to peak this week on Thursday, likely hitting the mid 70's! These temps are roughly 20 - 25 degrees above average for this time of the year and we'll return to normal sometime Friday, with seasonal temps lingering through the weekend. Scattered light showers break out Wednesday afternoon, peaking in coverage late Wednesday evening and winding down before sunrise Thursday. Another round of showers moves through Friday afternoon as a cold front sweeps the region, which will also usher in colder temps and cutoff the southwest flow which has been the main driver for our above average temps. The weekend ahead looks dry for the most part with sunshine Saturday and isolated showers closer to sunset Sunday.
Wednesday features temps in the low 50's along the ridgelines to the mid - upper 60's across the valleys, mainly due to increasing clouds. Light showers are expected to break out sometime around 2 - 4pm and continue into the night, winding down early Thursday morning with only a quarter - half inch at most for the region. Temps dip into the low - upper 50's Wednesday night so of course all precip will fall as rain.
Winds pick up Thursday under passing clouds with the occasional break in the cloud cover to let the sun shine through, which will push temps to the upper 50's - mid 70's depending upon elevation. Average wind speeds Thursday will be around 10mph for the lower elevations, while the ridgelines deal with wind speeds around 15 -20mph. Cloudy skies fill in Thursday night, capping temps to the low 40's - low 50's depending upon elevation and winds pick up, gusting to 35mph across the higher elevations.
Isolated showers develop early Friday morning and continue till the midday hour, increasing to scattered coverage as the front crosses the region during the afternoon hours. Temps Friday will likely peak before noon and fall the rest of the day as colder air rushes into the region behind the front, with highs in the mid 40's - mid 50's, settling into the low - upper 20's Friday night under clearing skies.
Saturday features sunny skies, while Sunday returns cloud cover to the region with isolated showers likely before sunset. Temps Saturday and Sunday hit the low 40's - low 50's, however Sunday will feel colder due to increasing cloud cover and moisture from the southwest.
Our next discussion will come out Thursday. Till then, be sure to enjoy those spring like temps Thursday!!!