March will conclude on an unsettled and stormy note as a front moves through the area late Monday, bringing with it the risk for strong to severe thunderstorms as a squall line moves by in the late afternoon/early evening hours. It’ll be a very warm end to March, with highs peaking in the low 80s after a start in the low to mid-60s. There should be some breaks in the clouds, and with that, decent instability should develop. The shear is not off the charts, but with the instability and some pockets of drier air aloft, enough is there to support a scattered severe threat with damaging winds the primary concern. A tornado or two on the leading edge of the line can’t be totally ruled out, nor can some hail as well. Timing for thunderstorms is generally in the 4-8PM range from west to east across the metro, so be alert for potential issues during the commute. (The school day should be fine, though after-school stuff might get iffy if storms move a little faster than forecast.)
High pressure continues to gradually lose its grip on our weather over the weekend as the next storm system approaches the area. We do get a rain-free day in on Saturday, though, with a mild but mostly cloudy day. We start Saturday in the mid-to-upper 50s, warming to the upper 70s in the afternoon. Southerly winds will generally run around 5-10 MPH.
Shower chances increase for Sunday as some mid-level energy aloft moves its way into the area ahead of the approaching cold front, stirring up some scattered showers and maybe some thunderstorms at times perhaps throughout the day. It won’t be a washout, but you’ll want to keep an eye on the sky as some rain and thunder will be possible from time to time. It’ll be a rather warm day, with lows around 60° warming to the low 80s in the afternoon.
Quiet weather continues for a couple more days, albeit with high pressure slowly losing its grip over the area ahead of the next cold front. We’ll start to warm up as southerly flow develops over the area; expect to start Friday in the low to mid-50s, warming to the mid-to-upper 70s in the afternoon under partly cloudy skies. More clouds filter into the area for Saturday as a bit more in the way of humid air works its way in; expect a warmer start in the upper 50s with highs topping out once again in the mid-to-upper 70s, governed by the increased cloud cover.
Another nice day is ahead for Thursday as high pressure slides by to our north. Temperatures start in the mid-40s, warming to the mid-70s under sunny skies for one more day. With the center of high pressure shifting more north of the area, winds will swing around more to the northeast and the east. It’ll be another dry day, relative humidity-wise, especially away from the coast as dewpoints mix down to the 30s in the afternoon. An inland-moving seabreeze will send dewpoints up into the low 40s as we get later into the day, but it’ll still feel quite comfortable outside.
Quiet weather continues for the rest of the work week as one dry front slips through followed by another area of high pressure. Despite the frontal passage, winds out of the northwest will keep Wednesday a bit more on the warm side as highs head to the mid-70s after a start right around 50°. It’ll be a touch breezy, but nothing too horrendous (though we’ll need to mind relative humidities and any stronger gusts for possible enhanced fire danger).
After a front swings through late Monday, quiet weather takes root for the rest of the week starting Tuesday. And what a nice day of weather Tuesday will bring: after starting in the low 50s, temperatures warm into the mid-70s in the afternoon with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. Once again, a shame the pollen is such a thing this time of year, because it’s looking like a beautiful day to get out and about where you have opportunities to do so.
