"Da Wedge" (i.e. cold air damming) is one of the most frustrating weather conditions for forecasters as well as the general public. This thin layer of cool surface air "wedges" itself up against the mountains, trapping clouds, moisture, and cool temperatures over the Piedmont and refusing to budge. Here's one example of the 8:00 a.m. surface map this Wednesday morning:
In addition to much cooler than average temperatures across Mecklenburg County precipitation totals have made for a soggy week so far. Rain gauges in South Hill, Boydton, Chase City, and Clarksville have collected 1.46", 0.58", 1.17", and 1.58" as of this writing. Another half-inch to an inch is expected by the weekend.As a cold front inches closer on Thursday showers and possibly thunderstorms will develop. Despite mostly cloudy skies local thermometers will surge to near the 80º mark tomorrow afternoon, with southwesterly winds pushing warmer air into the area. Friday's conditions looks to be almost a carbon copy of Thursday's, with the added potential for strong to severe storms that afternoon.
The weekend weather? At the moment it appears to be sunny and warm, conditions that would have been nice to have had this past weekend. Friday's blogpost will take a closer look at that, along with an update on any severe weather potential for the end of the work week.