DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 26-30)
An upper level low pressure system will be the primary driver of our weather over the next few days. This means that our weekend, while unsettled, won’t be anything near a wash-out (or snow-out), but we can and likely will see the development of showers and even some thunderstorms (with possible hail) later today, and the redevelopment of some rain and possible graupel showers and eventually snow showers later Sunday as a trend to colder weather progresses. That cold will arrive in force Sunday night into early next week. Monday will still feature some instability so that we can see a few snow flurries in the region from passing clouds despite plenty of bright sun, and a wind that will make it feel more like January at times despite March’s high sun angle. The coldest temperatures of this stretch likely occur with Tuesday morning’s lows, with a modest recovery to several degrees over Monday’s highs that day, but with lots of sun and a little less wind helping to make the recovery seem a little greater. By Wednesday, while still in the chilly air, we’ll have lighter wind as the low pressure that had been impacting us forever finally lifts away, but just in time for a warm front to approach with increasing clouds and an evening precipitation threat which may include some of the frozen variety…
TODAY: Partly sunny. Isolated to scattered mid to late afternoon showers and possible thunderstorms, with the potential for brief downpours and even some small hail. Highs 50-57. Wind W 5-15 MPH, higher gusts possible.
TONIGHT: Variably cloudy with a lingering rain shower possible early, then partly cloudy. Lows 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
SUNDAY: Variably cloudy. Chance of rain showers midday and afternoon, with late-day showers potentially containing graupel. Highs 45-52. Wind WNW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts possible.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Chance of a passing snow shower. Lows 22-29. Wind NW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.
MONDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Chance of a snow shower. Highs 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.
MONDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 18-25. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 22-29. Wind N 5-15 MPH.
WEDNESDAY: Increasing clouds. Chance of snow/sleet/rain at night. Highs 37-44. Wind N up to 10 MPH.
DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 31 – APRIL 4)
There is a lot of uncertainty in this period and obviously impossible for details this far out, but right now the scenario I see as most likely is low pressure passing northwest of our region March 31 with a warm front struggling to move through, and unsettled weather for the final day of the month, and then starting out unsettled and cool with upper level low pressure in the region April 1-2 (much like our current pattern), with hope for a brief warm-up and fair weather to finish the first weekend of April before we eye more unsettled weather by the end of the period. A lot of fine-tuning will be needed for this forecast in the days ahead.
DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 5-9)
Forecast confidence remains rather low, but the large scale pattern should support near to below normal temperatures and additional episodes of unsettled weather, including the possibility of some late season frozen precipitation for at least parts of the region, favoring the middle of the period.