Sunny but cool today. A few midweek showers. Warmer weather on the way!
It is a beautiful, sunny day across the Tennessee Valley on this Tuesday afternoon... it's just on the chilly side. Temperatures for most of us are still in the mid to upper 50s, although a few locations have reached 60 degrees. Most of us are on our way to the lower 60s by afternoon, but that is a good 15 or so degrees below our average high for this time of year!
Skies stay clear through the afternoon and early evening, with temperatures falling back into the 40s after sunset. However, clouds increase as we head through the overnight and winds become more southerly with time. This will keep temperatures from dropping much more, with overnight lows only in the mid 40s or so. We will be warmer on Wednesday with that southerly wind in place, despite the added cloud cover. Most of us will reach the upper 60s and lower 70s by afternoon.
A few showers will also be possible Wednesday into Thursday as a disturbance approaches. No widespread heavy rainfall or severe weather is expected. The front also stalls to our northwest before shifting back into the Plains. That will shift the rain chances northwestward into Friday as well. So, if you're planning a fishing trip the next few days, fish will probably be biting the most on Wednesday and Thursday with the added cloud cover around, but warmer temperatures and sunshine Friday into the weekend may send those fish deeper into the waters, even though the weather will be great for outdoor activities.
In fact, we're talking about highs in the 80s from Friday into the weekend and early next week, and maybe even the mid 80s by Sunday! This is because a ridge of high pressure builds in across the Southeast. This high pressure means sinking air, which squashes rain chances and cloud cover. So, added sunshine and the higher sun angle, and the compression of the sinking air aloft means warming temperatures. Expect an early preview of May and June weather as we head through the weekend! It will be a great weekend to grill out on the patio, get some yardwork done, and work in some other outdoor activities. Bigger rain chances come back early next week as the ridge weakens and a disturbance brings a cold front toward the area in the Monday to Tuesday timeframe.