A cool and dry weekend, then a pattern flip

The temperature forecast convinced NWS Wakefield to issue a Frost Advisory until 9:00 a.m. this Friday morning. As it turned out the low temperatures around Mecklenburg County dropped into the mid- to upper 30s by dawn, certainly cool enough for frost to form on some surfaces. With clear skies and light winds those readings will climb into the low 60s this afternoon for a nice - but a bit cooler than average - October Friday.

The frost will likely be more widespread early Saturday morning as local thermometers dip closer to the freezing mark. Tomorrow will feature partly cloudy skies and continued light breezes as afternoon highs climb back into the low 60s. Sunday looks to be cloudier with similar afternoon temperatures, but the sun will still peek through. 

Then, next week will bring a pattern change, with clouds, chilly temperatures, and a fair amount of precipitation expected. Although the rain looks to hold off until sometime on Monday, here's a peek at potential rainfall totals through next Friday morning:

Despite the prospect of a cloudy, cool, and wet period next week this is actually good news. The growing drought situation across Virginia is a significant concern. Here's the latest Drought Monitor:

At this point Halloween appears to be dry, so the trick-or-treaters won't need rain gear. We'll keep an eye on that as time progresses.