After narrowly missing a record high on Wednesday (the high was 84°, which approached the record of 85° set in 1986), we have another warm day on tap for Thursday. We start the day in the mid-50s before temperatures head to the low 80s in the afternoon under partly cloudy skies — yet another rain-free day as we start November. The rain-free streak looks to come to an end this weekend, though, as a cold front moves by and high pressure wedges southward.
We’ll get Friday off to a slightly frosty start in some parts away from the coast as lows dip into the 30s once again with a little bit more moisture to work with and a little less in the way of wind (though wind chills could still dip into the low 30s). A Frost Advisory is in effect for inland Berkeley and Dorchester for Friday morning where the risk for frost will be greatest, so ensure you’ve got sensitive plants covered just in case. From there, though, we’ll warm into the upper 60s in the afternoon (and 70° might not be totally out of the question, either) under mostly sunny skies.
The warming trend continues Saturday. We start the day in the mid-to-upper-40s — almost ten degrees warmer than Friday. Highs should get into the low 70s under mostly sunny skies — a very nice day to get outside, it looks like.
We turn even a little warmer for Sunday. Expect Sunday to start out around 50-51° or so, warming to the mid-70s in the afternoon. A few clouds will dot the skies from time to time, but it’ll be another day of brilliant sunshine.
We’ll be getting that sunshine in an hour earlier than Saturday, though, as Daylight Saving Time ends at 2am Sunday, sending us back into Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). The sun will rise around 6:40am, but will set just shy of 5:30pm. Be sure to set clocks needing manual changes back an hour Saturday night. It’s a good time to change batteries in your weather radios and smoke detectors as well.
Thursday gets off to the coldest start since March with lows expected in the mid-30s across much of the metro area. Further inland and in more sheltered locations, it’s quite possible that we’re going to see temperatures fall below freezing. A Freeze Warning is in effect for inland Berkeley and Dorchester for Thursday morning; be sure you’re protecting plants and pets. Add in winds around 5-10 MPH, and we’re talking wind chills in the 20s in many spots. Dress appropriately as you head out tomorrow morning!
From there, temperatures will head to the low 60s in the afternoon despite mostly sunny skies. It’ll ultimately be yet another sweater-worthy day across the area with a continued north to northeasterly breeze.
Warm weather continues for Friday and the weekend, feeling a lot more like September than late October. Temperatures will continue to run in the low 80s each afternoon after starts in the low 60s each day. Unsurprisingly, these temperatures run well above climatology. At this point in October, a normal day starts in the low 50s, and we will run well above that through the end of the month, it looks like. Our high temperatures will come in about 8-9° or so above normal each day; we should be in the mid-70s. While the record highs for Friday and Saturday seem out of reach (87° and 86°, respectively), Sunday’s forecast high of 83° comes within a couple degrees of the daily record high of 85° set in 1946.
Fall fans, do not fret, though: A strong cold front appears timed for Halloween. This front will knock temperatures back to near normal for Tuesday, followed by below-normal high temperatures as we start November (think mid-60s vs. mid-70s).
Rinse and repeat: More quiet and warm weather is on tap for Thursday (and beyond!) High pressure remains in control, and that’ll keep things rain-free and rather warm for late October. We start the day in the low 60s (for reference, the normal low for October 26 is 54°) and warm to around 80° in the afternoon. Much like Wednesday, we’ll see a few clouds amongst otherwise blue skies.
The only fly in the ointment will be the potential for some minor coastal flooding with the Thursday evening high tide. Water levels should peak between 7-7.2′ in the harbor, and this’ll cause some salt water to spill onto the typical trouble spots roughly an hour or two on either side of the 6:49 PM high tide. We’ll probably land a Coastal Flood Advisory during Thursday evening’s commute, so be ready to route around a little salt water especially around the Citadel and MUSC.
Showers and a few thunderstorms re-enter the weather picture for Friday as a cold front moves by, but it’ll be worth it as we have a gorgeous weekend ahead.
We start Friday in the mid-50s with dewpoints steadily rising throughout the day. Showers and thunderstorms will approach the area from the west as the day goes on, with storms possible perhaps as early as 1-2 PM, but most likely in the late afternoon to early evening hours. A storm or two could even be on the strong side, with damaging wind gusts the main concern. Rainfall between a quarter and half-inch is generally expected, with some spots under- and over-performing as is common with these kinds of convective setups. Due to the ongoing dry conditions, though, flooding is not expected to be an issue.
From there, the weekend looks great. Skies clear nicely for Saturday, and northwesterly flow will yield a rather beautiful day with lows in the mid-50s yielding to highs in the mid-70s in the afternoon with nary a cloud to be found. Sunday will be another really nice day with temperatures generally similar to Saturday’s, though we’ll see a bit more in the way of scattered clouds ahead of a dry frontal passage late. All in all, it looks to be a fantastic weekend to get out and do stuff.
Expect clouds to be on the increase on Thursday as a coastal trough develops nearby, spreading some cloud cover onshore. Somewhat more southerly trajectories will allow temperatures to run a little warmer (but still below normal). Expect to start the day in the low-to-mid-50s before temperatures head to the mid-70s in the afternoon. Despite increasing clouds, expect one more rain-free day ahead of a cold front arriving Friday.
We stay unsettled — but turning warmer — on Friday as winds turn a little more onshore thanks to low pressure developing over northern Florida and southern Georgia. This will also help to keep showers in the area for a good bit of the day, so be ready with the rain gear just in case. Some breaks in the clouds may bring some sunshine, but cloudiness should remain the main feature. Expect highs to top out in the mid-70s.
Showers will continue heading into Saturday as low pressure moves northward across the Lowcountry throughout the day. The low should clear the area by afternoon, and from there, we should start to see some slightly drier air work into the area. There should be at least some peeks of sun Saturday afternoon, so the day’s not a total loss, and we’ll get to the low 80s — as warm as we’ll be for the foreseeable future, it’s worth noting.
A stronger cold front comes through overnight and brings a much better shot of cooler and drier air to the area for Sunday. That’ll help to clear some of the cloud cover out a bit and help highs top out only in the mid-70s in the afternoon. Cooler and drier air will continue to work in overnight Sunday, and we’ll have a stretch of cooler-than-normal temperatures for much of next week.
Showers overspreading the area Wednesday evening will continue for much of Thursday as low pressure moves offshore, allowing high pressure to wedge in behind it from the northeast. While rain chances taper heading into the evening, cloud cover should remain robust and temperatures on the cool side thanks to the wedge. We shouldn’t get out of the upper 60s, in fact. All in all, Thursday looks to be a good jacket or hoodie kind of day.
Well, I think we all know what the big weather story will be heading into Friday and the weekend — a really solid shot of cooler and drier air that arrives Sunday for the season’s first true taste of fall. To get there, we’ve got to get through a frontal passage, though limited moisture will keep shower and storm chances relatively low on Friday. Highs top out in the mid-80s after starting in the upper 60s, which is on the mild side of normal for this point in the year. Drier air begins to punch into the area on Saturday, though the cooler air will lag a little bit. Expect Saturday to be a pleasant day, though, with highs topping out in the low 80s in the early afternoon before the cooler air begins to do its thing.
We’ll wake up Sunday in the low 50s, which will be the coolest low since we started May 4th at 48°. Brilliantly sunny skies will aid temperatures getting into the low 70s in the afternoon. It should be a really beautiful day to get out and do stuff. You may very well need a light jacket or hoodie, even. And while this shot of “chilly” air will be somewhat short-lived — we warm back to the 80s by Tuesday — it’s a sign of what’s to come as we get deeper into October and fall.
