A bit of respite from the cold, but a chilly week still ahead.

It's nothing new, especially of late, but today has been (and will continue to be) one of those "my lungs burn" kind of cold days. We've been a regime lately conducive to a lot of bitter, arctic air, and it isn't going anywhere any time soon. Areawide temps stay in near or perhaps just above freezing as we head into peak "heating" of today, but don't expect short-sleeve weather today.

I wouldn't call tomorrow short-sleeve weather either (unless you're from Vermont), but it is one of the warmer days this week, of which there won't be too many thanks to a crashing cold front come Tuesday. Midweek cold not withstanding, church day won't be one of those painful cold sort of days, so you won't need 5 layers and a personal bonfire just to stay warm. This is true into the beginning of the work week as well, with some of us touching lower 50s by Monday as we stay clear and sunny.

I said in my show today that the Tuesday front "crushes my dreams", because, well... there goes our brief respite from the bitter cold! A front bringing arctic air into the Valley puts us back in our place, and by mid-week we're back near freezing for forecast highs in the midday hours. A few showers are possible along this front, perhaps in a mixed precipitation mode, though I don't think this is particularly likely - at this juncture, it seems like the best moisture is staying south, closer to the gulf. As with any frontal passage, though, it's worth mentioning.

The 7 day helps visualize this trend a bit better. Monday night and into Tuesday actually stays above freezing, and it looks like that is the last low that'll be above freezing for a week or two, if long range signals are any indication. While certainly not gospel, it's of note that models are picking up on a serious cold snap through the end of the week into next weekend. It's often a foolhardy task to forecast a week out, but taking hint's from signals... it's gonna stay cold. Besides a brisk and overcast Tuesday, it's a nice - if cold - week!