Sunshine for Days; Low 70's by Thursday!
Good afternoon folks! Although its a touch chilly out there we are experiencing a gorgeous start to the weekend and dry weather is expected to hang around all the way through Thursday of next week; maybe longer. A round of light snow fell across the Great Balsams overnight and flurries were reported along the N GA/SC state line, with a skiff of snow found on the Parkway this morning above 5500' (that's right, the Parkway is open). We'll experience another chilly day Sunday and NW winds will pick up to 10 - 20mph across the region, gusting to 35mph above 4500'. Temps warm to normal levels Monday under continuing sunshine and we'll also notice a gradual change in dewpoints from Monday into Wednesday, creating a more comfortable setup in our homes; you can put the chapstick away. Temps continue their climb Tuesday into Thursday, reaching the upper 60's - low 70's by Thursday! The higher elevations above 5000' will warm to the 50's by Wednesday, possibly the low 60's on Thursday (first time this season). All in all, a quiet, sunny, and warm stretch of weather lies ahead.
Sunday will be our last cool day for the next 5 - 7 days as temps are held to the upper 30's - low 50's across the region under sunny skies, alongside NW winds around 10 - 20mph throughout the day. Winds ease overnight into Monday under clear skies and temps settle into the low - upper 20's across the region. A temperature inversion is possible Sunday night, as the valleys become colder than the ridgelines due to clear skies, low dewpoints, and little to no wind.
Temps return to normal Monday, which for the valleys is the upper 50's for early March; mid 40's along the highest ridgelines. Sunshine sits overhead all day and this should be a classic early spring day with light winds out of the north. Temps dip into the mid 20's - low 30's Monday night under clear skies, with another temperature inversion possible.
Tuesday through Thursday is when we expect temps to warm from the low 60's Tuesday to the upper 60's - low 70's Thursday across the lower elevations. The ridgelines will push into the 50's starting Wednesday and we could see our highest stations above 6000' crack the 60°F mark by Thursday! Overnight lows do not dip below the freezing mark starting Tuesday night, with overnight lows in the mid 30's - low 40's depending upon elevation, warming to the low - upper 40's Thursday night.
We are watching the models for a possible frontal passage Friday that could bring us spotty showers but there also exist a scenario where it passes north of the region. Circle back Monday morning and we should have a better handle on whether precip develops Friday. ENJOY!