Temps Finally Cool Down this Wknd
Good morning folks! The heat and humidity are certainly in play across the region today (Thursday), and the above normal temps will gradually dissipate as we move through the weekend, due to the upper level ridge retreating and several fronts providing enough of a trigger to develop pop up showers Friday and Saturday. A front will move from north to south on Friday, allowing showers to develop later in the day, eventually settling south of the region later that night. Saturday features one more round of sunshine and this keeps pop up showers in play as subsidence from the upper level ridge dissipates. The front will inch back north on Sunday and provide a path for disturbances to cross the region, sparking region wide showers to develop Sunday afternoon. A second front moves into the area Monday and this will keep region wide shower coverage going throughout the day, slowly scaling coverage on Tuesday. Cooler temps (mid 80's) begin to take over on Sunday due to cloud cover and shower activity and as shower coverage increases Monday, temps will drop to the low 80's early next week, possibly holding to these levels post frontal passage.
We'll start the timeline on Friday with temps returning to the mid - upper 70's above 5500', while the valleys continue to roast with temps in the upper 80's - low 90's. Sunshine and fog starts the day and high, thin clouds will take over by midday, followed by pop up showers closer to sunset. Shower coverage will remain isolated on Friday, favoring the Great Balsams, Plott Balsams, and Southern Highlands Plateau due to the orientation of the passing cold front. The front will exit the region Friday evening and sit south of the area on Saturday, allowing for one more day of above normal temps. We'll start the day with sunshine once again, lingering slightly longer than Friday but shower coverage should be slightly higher as we approach sunset. Temps hit the upper 70's - low 90's once again, settling into the upper 50's - mid 60's Saturday night; scattered showers continue throughout the night as the front begins to lift north.
Sunday wraps up the weekend on a wet note, with region wide showers developing after midday and although most of SW NC will pick up rain, we do not expect a washout but instead scattered showers continuously developing all day. Temps return to the low - mid 70's above 5500', while the valleys reach the low - mid 80's. Shower activity will continue through the night, holding temps to the low - mid 60's once again.
Monday and Tuesday have a better chance for a washout than Sunday due to the second front interacting with a higher moisture environment than the Friday frontal passage. Temps will hold to the low 70's - low 80's both days and most of SW NC will pick up one inch of rain over the 48 hour period.
It's possible the cooler temps stick around for Wednesday and Thursday of next week, with drying conditions taking over after the front fully exits the region late Tuesday. This is not set in stone but the models are calling for a gorgeous setup by this time next week, so fingers crossed this pans out. We'll circle back Saturday morning with a better look at the middle part of next week. ENJOY!