3/10 – The Chief’s “Frontal Passage/Mario Day” Friday Afternoon Forecast

A few shower in the area will begin to dissipate this afternoon as a drier air mass moves in behind a cold front moving SE. High pressure to the SE will suppress the energy north with only a few late morning/early afternoon showers expected. I cannot completely rule out a few lightning strikes however. This front should reach the coast and dissipate Friday night. The main impact from this front will be a slightly drier airmass advecting in from the north.

By Saturday, surface high pressure will shift to the east of the area, and this will allow for return flow to redevelop across the area. Moisture advection will quickly take hold, and dew-points will surge back into the 60s by Saturday night. Temperatures will also begin to warm, and highs will remain well above normal in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Cloud development will be largely suppressed as increased suppression in the wake of the upper level support.

Zonal flow will dominate the upper level pattern Sunday through early next week. Southerly surface winds ahead of a disturbance moving through the area Monday will help to enhance warm air and moisture advection into the area.