Drier air and sunshine for now. Rain chances return into the weekend.
Dewpoints are dropping into the 50s from north to south this afternoon as drier air works into the Tennessee Valley behind the "cold front" that moved through yesterday. Temperatures are up between the mid 80s to lower 90s, but by late August standards, it's not feeling bad out there with the lower humidity in place. Skies are mostly sunny, and that will continue for tomorrow as well.
Temperatures drop into the 70s as the sun sets this evening, and then the clear skies, dry air, and light winds allow for efficient radiational cooling overnight. That gets lows areawide down to at least the lower 60s, but I wouldn't be shocked at all if several areas make it down to the upper 50s... especially in those outlying rural locations. We stay mostly sunny on Thursday, with temperatures climbing into the mid/upper 80s by midday and near 90 degrees for daytime highs.
The drier air is short lived though, with moisture returning Friday, and things brings a return of isolated showers and thunderstorms. Activity will be hit or miss Friday and Saturday, but rain chances increase Sunday, Sunday night, into Monday morning as the next weak cold front moves into the area. Showers and thunderstorms won't affect everyone but will be much more numerous during this period. A general half to inch and a half of rain is expected for most everyone in the area during this period, but isolated areas could receive heavier amounts under a few of the thunderstorms. Daytime highs step down from the lower 90s to the mid 80s as we head into the Labor Day weekend due to the increase in cloud cover and rain coverage.
We are still watching the tropical disturbance in the central Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center still gives it a high chance of developing into either a tropical depression or a tropical storm, but the latest model guidance is in agreement that the trough of low pressure bringing our Sunday/Monday rain chances will also help to recurve the tropical system north and then northeastward out in the open Atlantic, preventing it from becoming a threat to the United States.