Published 8:57 AM EDT 03/30/2020 Updated 12:16 PM EDT to add total rain figures
Clouds will blanket the region today as colder air overspreads from the Great Lakes. Temperatures will remain seasonable, but more noteworthy, dry weather is forecast most of the week.
RAIN TOTALS
As you might guess, rain over the weekend has pushed local rain totals into the “wow” category. The latest figures bring our rain total for March to 6.11 inches which is 3.28 inches above average. So far for the year, we’ve chalked up 12.10 inches or a total of 4.51 inches above our normal rainfall at this point in the year.
Cloud cover moved in quickly early this morning thanks to low pressure over the upper Great Lakes region. The low will continue to send waves southward through the day which will keep a blanket of stratocumulus. A light shower or drizzle will be possible mainly north of the Valley.
The wind won’t be nearly as strong as it was yesterday but it will remain highest locally this morning. They should back off and diminish through the afternoon. After May-like temperatures in the mid-70s Saturday and Sunday, our highs today will be cooler than normal. Cloudy and dry conditions will prevail tonight. Temperatures tonight will be chilly – mainly in the upper-30s.
The Great Lakes low shifts south and east on Tuesday. Odds favor we keep a strato deck in place and another sunless day locally. Showers associated with the low are likely to remain off to the north. Temperatures will still be chilly tomorrow.
FAIR WEATHER WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
As low pressure finally exits well to our south, an upper-level ridge and high pressure will begin to build east and allow for improving weather for the second half of the week. I expect our area to get into some sunshine as clouds decrease Wednesday afternoon. With high pressure taking over, sunshine and dry weather will rule Thursday and Friday with temperatures gradually warming back to where they should be.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
High pressure will remain dominate on Saturday keeping fair weather across the Valley. The next chance for some rain locally will arrive on Sunday with a slow-moving cold front.
While our temperatures look to stay cool over the next few days, the models do indicate that this is just a temporary bump. We often see up-and-down temperature patterns like this during spring. However, if the models have it correct, warmer temperatures can be expected as we head into the first week of April.
