MetLoop
Daily Weather Newsletter Updated
Southeast Edition
April 8, 2016
Good Morning,
I’m back home in warm Florida, and loving it. When I left New Jersey yesterday, the early morning temperature was in the 30s, and when I landed in Fort Walton Beach, it was 81 degrees. Yay!
We are heading into a pretty good weekend of weather, though folks in Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia will endure light snow at times, and morning temperatures below 32 degrees. Sorry.
Surface Chart
The eastern half of the United States has been experiencing a rapid series of cold fronts from Canada. This morning, we have a cold front over Virginia, through the Southeast and ending in West Texas. At the same time, another front from Canada skirts along the US – Canada border and will also affect the eastern United States over the weekend.
We have light rain over South Texas and isolated pockets of rain over the Carolinas and Georgia, but nothing of real significance.
As stated earlier, it’s going to be a good weekend for most of our region. Lots of sunshine, sunscreen and sunglasses, making it the first designated “3S” weekend of 2016.
National Satellite and Radar image as of 5:00AM CDT
Maximum Temperatures for today
(Check out the maximum temperatures for today in Northern Minnesota and Upper Michigan).
Because the air from Canada is relatively dry, we know that it will heat and cool faster than moist air. We will have some chilly morning temperatures in parts of the Southeast on Saturday and Sunday morning.
I am going to display the overnight minimum temperature maps, showing how cold it will be in some places. This will allow some family and friends to prepare for the unusual cold temperatures on the next 2 mornings.
Minimum Temperatures – Saturday morning, April 9, 2016
The entire state of Kentucky will be below 32 degrees tomorrow morning, and you can see for yourselves how far south the cold air extends.
Wind chill values tomorrow morning will be less than 32 degrees for parts of Tennessee, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.
On Sunday morning, the cold pocket of air shifts eastward, but the values remain the same.
Though the morning air will be cold, the daytime maximum temperatures will warm up nicely, as the dry air heats up much faster than humid air.
Minimum Temperatures – Sunday morning, April 10, 2016
By the time Monday morning rolls around, these temperature values will be increasing as southerly winds return to the Southeast, bringing in warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.
These early morning temperatures over Kentucky and Virginia will permit a light dusting of snow over these locations tomorrow morning. There won’t be any accumulation and all the snow will be melted by late morning.
Speaking of snow, if you are traveling this weekend, you may want to avoid the Great Lakes area, where 4 to 6 inches of snow will fall over parts of Ohio, Western New York and all of Pennsylvania.
On the Forecast Map for tomorrow, we see the frontal system that is currently along the Canadian border, rushing southward. This will reinforce the cooler, dry air over the Southeast through the weekend.
By Sunday, the southerly winds begin a familiar cycle; warmer temperatures, increasing moisture and the development of clouds, rain and thunderstorms over Texas.
For Monday, we have an increasing probability of severe weather over parts of East Texas, Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana. When Tuesday arrives, we have a lengthy frontal system through the Southeast, and the probability of severe weather from Tennessee to Louisiana.
Forecast Map – Saturday, April 9, 2016
Maximum Temperatures – Saturday, April 9, 2016
Forecast Map – Sunday, April 10, 2016
Maximum Temperatures – Sunday, April 10, 2016
Forecast Map – Monday, April 11, 2016
Maximum Temperatures – Monday, April 11, 2016
Forecast Map – Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Maximum Temperatures – Tuesday, April 12, 2016
It’s going to be a good weekend to spend at the beach, if you are along the Gulf Coast. It won’t be too hot, there will be plenty of sunshine, though the water is still pretty cold.
I hope everyone has a chance to enjoy the weekend, and for family and friends in the northern states, where bitter cold and snow will occur, I’ll be thinking of you as I soak in the sun.
Until Monday,
Rocco
Chief Meteorologist
MetLoop
