Forecast Last Updated at Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 4:36PM

Slow Climb

We have had a nice break from summer warmth, but the cool pattern is breaking down slowly. Most of the region will stay dry this evening, and I took rain totally out of the forecast for the daytime Friday. Isolated evening showers are most likely today toward the Smokies, including Wolf Laurel. A disturbance moves across the Appalachians Saturday in the transition back to "regular summer" with an increase in shower/thundershower activity (possibly starting before sunrise Saturday). After that, the weather becomes pretty boring--warm with daily afternoon isolated thundershowers.

The 2022 Blue Ridge Calendar Photo Contest is complete. Our Grand Prize Winner is Valerie Seals with her photo of Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But there are 14 other winning photos. See all the winning photos at the 2022 Blue Ridge Calendar Photo Gallery. Many thanks to all the photographers who shared their time and talent with us. Once again, we had stunning photography to choose from.

We are now preparing the calendar for the printer and hope to be selling calendars by the end of August.

Thursday Hi: 77 Lo: 54 Partly cloudy; SE wind 5-10 mph, but light in valleys(better chance toward the Smokies); SE wind 5-10 mph, but light in valleys tonight

Friday Hi: 79 Lo: 56 Partly to mostly cloudy; Showers & t-showers possible after midnight; SE wind 5-10 mph, but light in valleys Fri. night

Saturday Hi: 77 Lo: 56 Mostly cloudy; Scattered showers & t-showers, ending by evening; Light wind, becoming NW Sat. night

Sunday Hi: 81 Lo: 59 Scattered cloud; Warmer; Cannot completely rule out a PM shower or t-shower

Monday Hi: 81 Lo: 60 Scattered cloud; Warmer; Isolated PM t-showers

Further Out

Tuesday - Partly cloudy; Isolated PM thundershowers; High in the lower 80s; Low near 60 degrees
Wednesday - Partly cloudy; Isolated PM thundershowers; High in the lower 80s; Low in the upper 50s

Forecast Discussion

The big weather picture is straightforward. A front is stalled from Cape Hatteras to North Florida and South Texas. It gets a little closer to us as a weak disturbance crosses the Appalachians Saturday from west to east. That signals the transition back to "regular summer" next week as the Bermuda High becomes reestablished extending into the Southeast.

Tonight and Friday are dry for most of the region. I cannot completely rule out a renegade shower or thundershower early this evening (better chance SW toward Wolf Laurel). Temperatures are a couple degrees warmer but still at or below seasonal norms.

Our best chance for showers and thundershowers comes late Friday night through the daytime Saturday. A weak disturbance moving through sparks scattered coverage. We'll have plenty of dry hours, just be alert if your are outside.

Next week is warmer with a daily dose of isolated PM showers and thundershowers; unremarkable summer weather.

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