Token Flakes Thursday; Sunny Saturday
Good morning folks! Rainfall totals from Tuesday into Wednesday are in and for the most part, all of SW NC picked up at least 0.40", with numerous sites between 0.50 - 0.75" and only two locations above the one inch mark; Stecoah Gap at 1.10" and Cullowhee at 1.27". We'll see another round of light showers (and a few snow showers above 5500') this afternoon and evening, giving way to sunshine Friday. A few light showers are possible along the escarpment and Southern Highlands Plateau Friday evening but for the most part it will be a dry end to the work and school week for the region. High pressure will continue its hold on the area this weekend, with another dose of sunshine on Saturday (mixed in with some passing clouds late), giving way to increasing clouds on Sunday as moisture builds across the region. We don't expect any rain to develop Sunday and its a very small chance a light shower develops on Monday, with our best chance for anything regionwide not showing up on the models till Tuesday. Temps all the while will warm up with each passing day, going from the low - mid 60's today (Thursday) to the low - mid 70's Sunday, and peaking on Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the mid - upper 70's. If you have plans to hit the Parkway or any high elevation location today, Friday, or Saturday, we recommend bringing a jacket as temps only warm to the low - upper 40's above 5800' each day.
It snowed at Beech Mountain and other high elevation ridgelines above 5800' on Wednesday and it may do so again today, with token flakes at best, but still pretty cool for the middle of May. The rest of us will experience a mixed bag of sun and clouds today, with isolated showers dotting the landscape this afternoon, eventually ending sometime around midnight. Temps today reach the mid 40's above 5500', while the valleys warm to the low - mid 60's with a light easterly wind setting up before sunset. Overnight lows dip into the low 30's - low 40's depending upon elevation, with a chance for patchy frost above 4500' closer to sunrise.
Friday features high pressure taking over and influencing our weather for the next several days, but we'll benefit from warming temps and an uptick in sunshine, at least for Friday and Saturday. Temps Friday reach the upper 40's - upper 60's depending upon elevation, with winds shifting to easterly by the mid afternoon hours. This will setup a slight chance for drizzle or a light showers just before sunset along the escarpment, with all rain chances ending by the late evening hours. Overnight lows settle into the mid 30's - low 40's under partly cloudy skies.
Saturday and Sunday will be dry but sunshine Saturday morning gives way to partly cloudy skies later in the day, followed by increasing clouds Saturday night and Sunday morning, eventually leading to partly sunny - mostly cloudy skies by midday Sunday. Temps both days warm to the low - mid 70's in the valleys, while our highest ridgelines above 5800' hang out in the upper 40's - mid 50's. Overnight lows bottom out to the low - upper 40's each night.
Monday and Tuesday keep moisture around but not enough to really spark anything more than an isolated shower. The models hint at a regionwide setup taking over late Tuesday into Wednesday but details remain fuzzy and confidence low at this time. Temps should push into the mid - upper 70's by Tuesday and we'll hold off on any more details till our next discussion comes out Saturday around 10am. ENJOY!