1/30 – Payton’s Tuesday Afternoon Forecast

A trough of low-pressure is currently digging south across the southeastern US, while high-pressure that was centered over Canada yesterday has surged south and will be pushing into the Tennessee Valley today. Strong cold air advection will take place today which will keep temperatures from warming much…maxing out in the low to mid 50s which is about 10 degrees below normal.

The area of high-pressure will move to its SE…our east by tomorrow morning allowing for the return flow to begin. Temperatures will be fast to respond as dew-points jump back up with high temps reaching the mid-60s Wed and close to 70 by Thursday. Models show a broad trough dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley Thursday before reach in the east coast Friday afternoon. This associated cold front will only have a 30 to 40% of rain coverage as with swings through Thursday night. It will however knock temps back down a good 10 to 15 degrees Friday.

A secondary trough will be coming into the area over the weekend. This time, the base of the trough will be much further south, passing over south Texas Saturday and then right over the northern Gulf Coast Sunday into Monday. Due to its southward extension Saturday, Pacific moisture will get drawn northeast across the Gulf and into the area. A weak boundary may develop along the coast and lift north Saturday and Saturday night. This will provide a focus for numerous showers to develop. Therefore, precip chances will increase to around 90% Saturday night. The system will begin to clear the area Sunday night into Monday morning.