After a brief cool-down over the weekend, we're back to above normal temperatures across the state today, with temperatures currently reading in the lower 60s statewide. Combined with mostly sunny skies, today is a beautiful day to finish up some final yard-work, or just enjoy the sunshine.
A backdoor cold front moves in from the NE overnight tonight, resulting in a much more seasonable day tomorrow. Highs will be near to slightly below normal, with readings primarily in the mid to upper 40s across the state, and the skies will be mostly sunny.
Here's a look at an anomaly map for tomorrow evening. Notice that the cooler air relative to normal is confined to the northeast as a result of the backdoor cold front pushing SW from Atlantic Canada, while areas to our southwest remain above normal as a result of the strong ridge that has been responsible for much of our recent warmth, including today. This is a classic example of a backdoor, and is often the reasoning behind our corner of the country remaining cooler compared to the rest of the eastern CONUS in a pattern featuring a strong ridge and hence transport of warmth into the northern tier.
Below is a look at the GFS depiction of Thursday's cutter, showing the strong low well to our NW and the deformation to the southeast affecting us, and a look at some GFS anomaly maps that show the progression of the cold east over the days following the cutter's departure.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with highs in the upper 40s.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy, with clouds increasing throughout the day. Highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s.
Thursday: Cloudy to start, then rain breaking out west to east in the early afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Chance of rain is 80%
Friday: Rain ending early, then cooling throughout the day, with sunshine increasing as the day goes on. Highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s, but daytime highs in the upper 40s. Chance of rain is 60%
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a chance of rain/snow showers late. Highs around 50. Chance of precipitation is 20%
Saturday night: A chance of rain and snow showers, otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Chance of precipitation is 20%
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 40s.
Finally, to ensure that we can provide you with the most reliable coverage around this winter, we'll be making an exciting announcement in the next couple of days. Make sure to keep an eye on our website and social media for the details! Until then, have a great day and thanks for reading SCW!
-SA