4/24 – The Chief’s “Cloud Coverage Continues” Monday Afternoon Forecast

High pressure over the northern Rockies is setting up a quasi-zonal flow across the southern third of the country. At the surface, a reinforcement of drier air has shifted off the coast with mainly mid-level clouds across the area.

It looks like the main forecast question over the next 36 hours is cloud cover and the effect on high and low temperatures. Guidance continues to indicate a fairly extensive moist layer between in the low levels today. It doesn’t look to be a fully sunny day, with quite a bit of mid-level clouds. This will limit high temperatures from reaching their potential, probably by 3-5 degrees. Similar concerns for Tuesday regarding mid-level moisture.

The upper flow across the southern portion of the country will remain rather active through the end of the week. Multiple impulses expected to move across the lower Mississippi River Valley late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and again on Thursday. Global models indicate a stronger system moving across the center of the country on Saturday, but there’s quite a bit of north/south spread on where the surface low will track for the time being.