Soggy Sunday; Slight Cool-down Monday
Good morning folks! Showers are slowly filling in across the region but we'll only deal with scattered light - moderate showers the rest of the day, with the heavier rain and thunderstorms moving across the region tomorrow. Sunday will be a soggy day with showers around for the most of the day but it looks as if the early afternoon hours will be when peak coverage occurs, followed by clearing skies overnight into Monday. Temps dip to slightly below normal levels Monday, only hitting the low - mid 60's in the valley, when they should be in the upper 60's - low 70's. Sunshine returns Monday as well, holding firm through Tuesday, giving way to clouds late Wednesday. The models point to a late frontal passage that will bring us a round of rain, but the timing is still up in the air at this time. Temps go from below normal Monday to above normal Tuesday, holding to the mid 70's the rest of the week; still no freezing temps in sight.
Temps today hit the low 60's across the ridgelines warming to the mid 70's across the lower elevations, with clouds sitting overhead most of the day; if the sun pokes through, it will only lead to more shower development. Most of the region will pick up a quarter - half inch of rain today and tonight, with temps settling into the low - upper 50's across the area.
Sunday brings us widespread showers by the mid morning hours and a line of thunderstorms shortly after midday, followed by the frontal passage closer to sunset. An inch or more of rain is likely from sunrise Sunday to the late evening hours, with clouds clearing after midnight. There is a good chance several thunderstorms will produce hail and excessive downpours, however nothing as severe as we saw a few days ago in Brevard. Temps will be tempered somewhat, only hitting the upper 50's - low 70's depending upon elevation, falling to the mid - upper 30's along the ridgelines to the mid 40's across the valleys. Winds will also be strong out of the southwest Sunday afternoon, gusting to 50mph along the ridgelines, with steady winds around 10 - 15mph in the valleys. Winds shift from the southwest to the northwest overnight into Monday, with gust up to 40mph above 4500' into Monday morning.
Sunshine settles in Monday and lingers into Wednesday morning, with high clouds building later in the day, ahead of the next rain event that is likely to develop Thursday. Temps Monday only reach the mid 40's above 5000' but warm to the low - mid 60's in places like Franklin, Bryson City and Sylva. Temps return to the mid 70's Tuesday and this should hold into Friday, so be sure to enjoy the slight cool-down while you can!
Our next discussion will come out Monday afternoon.