Sunny Monday with more clouds arriving Tuesday

Today - Monday - provides a respite from springtime rain, clouds, and gusty winds as high pressure briefly establishes itself across the eastern half of the nation. Morning temperatures around Mecklenburg county bottomed out at 31 degrees in Chase City, Boydton, and South Hill, a reminder that below-freezing conditions can still harm sensitive vegetation this time of year.

Clarksville was the "warm" spot at 34 degrees this morning, thanks to a light north wind crossing the relatively warm waters of Buggs Island Lake / Kerr Reservoir before reaching the weather station. The graphic compares this year's lake water temperatures (dark blue line) with last year's readings (in gray) for the same time period:

Monday's sunshine will combine with light winds to provide afternoon temperatures which will reach the 60 degree mark. By dawn Tuesday local thermometers will drop back into the mid-30s, with skies beginning the day mostly clear. During the afternoon hours tomorrow clouds will be on the increase as the next storm system approaches from the southwest. Tuesday's highs will top out in the low 60s.

A slight chance of showers will reenter the Mecklenburg county weather picture late Tuesday night, with the steadier rain holding off until near the lunch hour Wednesday. Midweek then looks to be wet and gloomy with cooler than average temperatures under the cloud cover. But take heart...the weekend looks warm and sunny!