A significant disturbance will approach the region today and it’ll enhance the chances for PM showers and thunderstorms. Some cloud cover today and precipitation could keep high temperatures confined to the middle 80’s for afternoon highs. Temperatures will creep us as we progress towards the weekend and there will be a continuing chance for PM showers and thunderstorms.
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An unusually large and intense outbreak of dry, dusty air from northern Africa has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and is now turning skies brownish in the Caribbean Sea. There is a possibility that some of this dusty air mass makes it all the way into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic later this weekend after first moving over the southern US. This layer of dust is commonly referred to as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) which is a mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert in northern Africa during the late spring, summer, and early fall and it can move westward over the tropical North Atlantic on a regular basis during the Atlantic Basin tropical season. SAL activity usually ramps up in mid-June and peaks in mid-August and sometimes the individual outbreaks can cover vast portions of the Atlantic Ocean and reach as far west as the central US and Central America.
The SAL has unique properties of dry air, strong winds and warmth that can have a significant inhibiting effect on the formation and/or intensification of Atlantic Basin tropical systems - at least on a temporary basis. In addition to its potential inhibiting effect on tropical activity in the Atlantic Basin, dusty air masses that travel over the Atlantic Ocean from Africa can actually have long term impacts on beaches in the Caribbean and soils in the Amazon. This particular outbreak of dry, dusty air is more widespread than usual - perhaps one of the most massive in several decades - and it likely formed during mid-June when strong winds from thunderstorms kicked up dust to an altitude of about 20,000 feet or so over the Sahel region of northern Africa.
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A significant disturbance will move northward today and into the local region enhancing the chances for PM showers and thunderstorms. Morning cloud cover and precipitation could keep high temperatures today confined to the middle 80’s and it should be similar on Wednesday as well with additional rain possible. In fact, coverage of any shower and storm activity on Wednesday is liable to be even more widespread than today as stronger forcing aloft moves into the region.
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The movement of an upper-level disturbance away from the Tennessee Valley will allow for a significant warm up in coming days and highs on both weekend days are likely to be in the lower or middle 90’s with plenty of sunshine and noticeably higher humidity levels. The hot weather will continue into the middle of next week when a frontal system approaches the area.
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The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert in northern Africa during the late spring, summer, and early fall and it can move westward over the tropical North Atlantic on a regular basis during the Atlantic Basin tropical season. SAL activity usually ramps up in mid-June and peaks in mid-August and sometimes the individual outbreaks can cover vast portions of the Atlantic Ocean and reach as far west as the central US and Central America. The SAL has unique properties of dry air, strong winds and warmth that can have a significant inhibiting effect on the formation and/or intensification of Atlantic Basin tropical systems - at least on a temporary basis. This outbreak of dry, dusty air is more widespread than usual and appears to have formed when strong winds from thunderstorms kicked up the dust to an altitude of about 20,000 feet in mid-June over the Sahel region of northern Africa.
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An upper-level trough that has been spinning over the Carolinas in recent days will finally edge to the north and it’ll tend to weaken as it does so. The movement of this system away from the Tennessee Valley will allow for a significant warm up in coming days and highs on both weekend days are likely to be in the lower or middle 90’s with plenty of sunshine and noticeably higher humidity levels.
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There is a surface low pressure system this morning near the Outer Banks of North Carolina and satellite imagery clearly shows an upper-level low spinning over the central part of the same state. This upper-level has resulted in substantial rainfall in recent days across the Carolinas and westward to West Virginia and southwestern Virginia and it is about to finally make a move to the next. As a result of this movement, showers will move into the DC metro region later today and likely edge into Philly later tonight or early Thursday and once the threat of rain arrives, it’ll likely stick around all the way into next week. In fact, another significant upper-level trough of low pressure is likely to push into the Great Lakes/Mid-Atlantic/NE US by the middle of next week and this will more than likely continue the wet pattern that is unfolding for this part of the nation.
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An upper-level trough will continue to meander across the Carolinas today and then it’ll take a turn to the north later this week and begin to weaken. As a result, a warming trend will ensue in the Tennessee Valley and temperatures will likely approach the 90 degree by Friday afternoon for highs. By the time we get to the weekend, it’ll turn downright hot and humid with highs in the lower and middle 90’s and an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms.
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An upper-level trough will continue to influence the weather around here as it spins over the Carolinas into the middle of the week. Low-level winds will continue to keep a lid on afternoon temperatures for the next couple of days, but later in the week, this system will weaken and push to the north. As a result, a warming trend will ensue in the Tennessee Valley later in the week and by Friday highs will approach the 90 degree mark. By the time we get to the weekend, it’ll turn downright hot and humid with highs in the 90’s and an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms.
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High pressure continues to control the weather across the Tennessee Valley and it’ll result in a stretch of mainly rain-free days with increasingly warm conditions. In fact, temperatures will climb from the low-to-mid 80’s for highs as we begin the new work week to 90+ degrees at the end of the week.
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