Key Points – Thursday, March 23, 2017:
Synopsis: Good Thursday and thanks for checking out the latest forecast update! In today’s video we discuss the warm front lifting north later today that will issue in showers and storms to the Midwest, a very warm and wet weekend expected as the trailing low pressure makes its way east. We continue to theme of warm and wet into next week as well, we are entering the pattern we’ve been discussing over the past 1-2 weeks where we turn very active.
A few scattered showers ongoing this morning with additional showers and thunderstorms (~30-40% coverage) forecasted later tonight with small hail possible. Winds pick up later today as well, gusting upwards of 35-40+ mph out of the southeast to south especially getting into Friday.
Mostly dry, windy and warm on the day on Friday, but a very wet and warm weekend on-tap, with widespread showers and storms (some gusty) Saturday into Sunday as the low pressure tracks into the Midwest.
Here’s a look at rainfall totals by Monday morning…quite wet especially north and west.
The pattern activity intensifies into next week with multiple shower chances, even some strong storms possible late next week that we are monitoring very closely. Below is a look at our low-level jet (850mb winds) forecasted late Thursday into next Friday…usually when we see winds as strong as this we start to pay close attention, so stay tuned in the coming updates in regards to this threat.
Have we mentioned the pattern is turning active yet? In all serious, to see this widespread swath of above normal rainfall across the Country is impressive…translation: we continue the increase in rain chances next week and beyond.
Overall the next 2 weeks are warmer than normal in the Ohio Valley on average by ~5-10ºF.
Confidence and Risk:
- Above average confidence in scattered showers even a few thunderstorms later today into tonight.
- High confidence of a warm and wet weekend with showers and thunderstorms likely across the Midwest.
- Above average confidence next week we feature multiple rain chances and stay warm.
Today’s video (6 min):