DELMARVA FORECAST
Wednesday night: Clear skies. Diminishing winds. Frost possible. Lows in the mid 30s.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 60s.
Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 70s.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Chance of some pop-up showers late. Warm. Highs near 80°F. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 70s.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower or thunderstorm late. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower or thunderstorm early. Highs in the low 70s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Normal high: 67°F. Normal low: 44°F.
The front that brought showers to Delmarva Tuesday has moved off shore, and as high pressure builds in from the west, a pressure gradient has kept our winds on the gusty side throughout Wednesday.
The high will settle in over the Mid-Atlantic Wednesday night, which will allow the winds to die down, and with good radiational cooling conditions, expect chilly overnight lows in the mid 30s. With light winds, this is cold enough that a little bit of frost is possible by sunrise Thursday, although if we keep a little bit of a breeze, that could prevent any frost development.
With the high settled in, we'll see mostly sunny skies and light winds to wrap up the work week, which will mean a warming trend on the way; afternoon highs will reach the low 60s Thursday and low 70s Friday, before possibly reaching the low 80s Saturday.
Then the question arises regarding our next chance for rain or thunderstorms. High pressure off the East Coast will divert most weather to our north, but longer range guidance is suggesting a backdoor cold front could sag over Delmarva late Saturday into early Sunday. With high temperatures on Saturday expected to approach 80°F, there will be enough energy to support some showers or thunderstorms Saturday night. However, at this point, confidence is low, and showers and storms could end up widely scattered.
Confidence is moderate, though, that the Atlantic high will shift a little east, allowing for a frontal system to bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms to Delmarva Monday night into early Tuesday. Watch this space for updates.
In the long range, temperatures are expected to average above normal, and precipitation above normal for April 23 - April 29.