An upper-level disturbance continues to have an impact on the region as it slowly pushes to the north over the western part of the Mid-Atlantic. This system is combining with higher moisture levels to produce bands of showers and thunderstorms and this threat of rain will stick around into at least the middle of next week. The rain chances over the next several days will be highest during the afternoon and evening hours as it will tend to be “diurnally-driven” with daytime heating playing an important catalyst type of role. Any shower or storm that forms over the next few days can produce heavy rainfall and localized flooding conditions. Another strong upper-level low pressure system may impact our region by the latter part of next week.
Read More
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.
Read More
Our recent stretch of nice weather with generally rain-free conditions and comfortable temperatures and humidity levels has come to an end. High pressure that has been to our north in recent days has shifted off the east coast and this new positioning has opened the door for more humid air to push into the region. In addition, an upper-level disturbance that has been spinning over the Carolinas in recent days is now making a move to the north and this combined with the higher humidity has increased our chances for showers and thunderstorms. Indeed, this threat of rain will stick around not only for the rest of the work week, but also for the weekend and at least the first half of next week. The rain chances over the next several days will be highest during the afternoon and evening hours as it will tend to be “diurnally-driven” with daytime heating playing an important catalyst type of role. Another strong upper-level low pressure system may impact our region by the latter part of next week.
Read More
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.
Read More
Our stretch of nice weather with rain-free conditions and comfortable temperatures and humidity levels is about to end. High pressure that has been to our north in recent days will shift off the east coast over the next 24 hours and this shift in location will open the door for much more humid air to push into our region and with it will come the threat of showers and thunderstorms. The chance for showers here will increase by later tonight and that threat of rain will stick with us all the way into the first half of next week and there can be thunderstorms mixed in as well.
Read More
High pressure to our north continues to control the weather around here and it’ll produce another couple of comfortable days in the region. This system will push off the coast on Wednesday and this shift in location will open the door for warmer, more humid air for the latter part of the week and a renewed threat of showers and thunderstorms. The threat for rain looks like it’ll return here by Thursday and then last through the upcoming weekend on the backside of the soon-to-depart high pressure system.
Read More
High pressure to our north will control the weather around here through mid-week and it’ll stay quite comfortable for a couple more days. The high pressure system will shift off the coast at mid-week and this will begin a warm up for the second half of the week. Temperatures should hold in the 70’s for highs for the next two days, but then reach 80 degrees at mid-week and well up into the 80’s by later in the week.
Read More
A cooler-than-normal air mass will push into the region early this weekend resulting in very comfortable temperatures for the weekend and also for the first half of next week. While there will be plenty of sunshine during the weekend and the early part of next week, the atmosphere will become somewhat unsettled given the unusually cool air aloft and this can result in a shower from time-to-time. High pressure to our north will be the main player this weekend and early next week and there will be an upper-level trough slowly dropping southward into the Carolinas.
Read More
A slow-moving cool front will bring us occasional showers today and there can be a strong thunderstorm mixed in as well. A cooler-than-normal air mass will push into the region early this weekend resulting in comfortable temperatures for the weekend and the first half of next week. The atmosphere will become increasingly unsettled, however, with the combination of cool air aloft and a slow-moving upper-level trough moving in overhead. Showers cannot be ruled out later Saturday and there is a likelihood for showers on Sunday, Monday and perhaps Tuesday as well.
Read More
Low pressure over the Great Lakes region will intensify today and a trailing cold front will approach our area from the northwest. The approach of the front will increase the chance of showers and thunderstorms around here by day's end and it'll keep it unsettled tonight and on Thursday as it drags very slowly through the region. A cooler-than-normal air mass will push into the region early this weekend resulting in more comfortable weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday and the cooler-than-normal weather will stick around into the early part of next week. With cooler air aloft, the weekend and early part of next week will become somewhat unsettled and showers will likely be a threat on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Read More
