Forecast Last Updated at Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 12:04PM

Stubborn Clouds & Continued Chilly

Ever had an annoying house guest who didn't cause much trouble but just wouldn't go away? That the story of the clouds, drizzle, and high-elevation light snow for the past day or so. Clouds will be stubborn today, and drizzle (higher elevation snizzle) will still be around. Gusty winds will diminish as the day goes along. Temperatures will be a bit warmer than yesterday but still well below normal. Clouds will remain Wednesday with a few light showers possible (any snow limited to the highest mountaintops). Even Thursday, clouds will be around with daytime drizzle or a light shower possible. Finally... Friday and Saturday will have more sun and pleasant temperatures.

Tuesday Hi: 44 Lo: 35 Generally cloudy; Spotty drizzle or mountaintop flurries/freezing drizzle; NW wind 10-20 mph & gusty, becoming 5-15 mph late in the afternoon & light at night

Wednesday Hi: 48 Lo: 35 Cloudy; Seasonably cool; A few showers (maybe mixed with snow at 5000'+ elev's); Light wind becoming SE in the afternoon then NW at night

Thursday Hi: 53 Lo: 34 Lots of clouds; A light, daytime shower possible; North wind 5-15 mph

Friday Hi: 58 Lo: 36 Scattered clouds; Seasonal temps

Saturday Hi: 58 Lo: 41 Increasing clouds at night; Pleasant

Further Out

Sunday - Cloudy; Turning colder late; Rain showers changing to snow showers at night; Blustery; High in the lower 50s; Low in the upper 20s
Monday - Maybe an early morning snow flurry; Then mostly to partly cloudy; Chilly; Blustery; High in the mid 40s; Low in the upper 20s

Forecast Discussion

The upper-level low off the Mid-Atlantic Coast (responsible for our strong NW flow with clouds, light showers and higher elevations snow showers/freezing drizzle/rime icing) is finally exiting stage right today. Spotty drizzle (higher elevation freezing drizzle or flurries) will continue through the daytime. We could get a fleeting look at the sun later today (Blue Ridge especially), but clouds will be very stubborn overall. Temperatures remain on the cool side of normal but a few degrees warmer than yesterday.

The next issue in our weather will be a disturbance moving out of Texas and across the Gulf Coast today. This feature will be near the Carolina Coast by late Thursday. It will keep clouds and light rain or drizzle in our forecast Wednesday into Thursday. Any snow with this system will be limited to 5000-foot land.

More pleasant weather is coming Friday and Saturday with gradually warmer temperatures--back to near normal for mid-March.

But there's no easy "March to Spring" this year. The next front will cross the Mississippi River Saturday night and move through here Sunday. Expect rain Sunday followed by sharply colder weather Sunday night. A brief period of snow showers will be possible Sunday night, only nuisance level stuff with accumulations limited to higher elevations and western upslope regions (and light even there). Monday will be unseasonably cold and blustery.

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