Twin States Weather Blog

Warm Weather Ahead This Week & Still Dry:

* Temperatures are back on the rise this week thanks to a surface high that will be moving east into the Southeast and will hold our area under warm and dry weather this week. Daytime highs will rise back into the upper 70s/lower 80s and overnight lows back into the 50s. Models show a strong trough digging across the west coast by Tuesday with lows developing over the Southwest US and along the US/Canada border. The high will block these features from affecting our weather. Two fronts are forecast this week on Tuesday and toward the end of the work week, but these fronts look to come in relatively dry. We may see a few stray showers toward next weekend with the front.

* Next week the weather pattern looks interesting. Long range models (the GFS for those who are into weather) has been consistent with a decent storm system moving toward the Southeast around end of the month (28th-29th). We'll watch the models as we need a decent system into the area for some rain badly. We could do without the severe weather. It's a trade off this time of year as we are in the prime of severe weather season. I will note that this is almost 9 days out and as I have learned in the science of meteorology, anything past three days is up in the air (so to speak).

* Big swing in temperatures: The low this morning was 36 and we warmed up quickly into the low 70s with the official high reaching 72.

* Still dry: As of Sunday afternoon, we are now running -3.65 inches of rain below normal for the month of March. For the year we now sit at -9.16 inches below normal for the year. The US Drought Monitor, as we mentioned Friday on our newscast, now places all out of viewing area in a Stage 1 Hydrological and Agricultural Moderate Drought. You can see the drought monitor at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

* Fire threat: we'll pick up some moisture during the week which will raise the relative humidities and dewpoint temperatures. Fire threat still remains high with the dry weather in place and officials ask you to please avoid outdoor burning. Reminders that Meridian and Marion have burn bans in place. To our south Jones County is under a county wide burn ban until March 21 and Wayne County is under county wide ban until April 9th

* Odd to be talking about flooding, but this week kicks off Flood Safety Awareness Week in the Twin States. Scan down the blog for more in on flood safety week.

* Ashley McDonald will have more on your forecast tonight at 10:00 on Sunday edition of Newscenter 11. I will be with you at 6:00 AM Monday on Good Morning Meridian and tomorrow night on Newscenter 11 at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00.

Labels: Forecast Discussion

posted by Chris Whited @ 5:13 PM