No rain, but plenty of heat is on the way this week

In mid-April the average temperatures in Mecklenburg County range from morning lows in the mid-40s to afternoon highs in the low 70s. Those values will seem like a distant memory as this week progresses. A persistent upper level ridge has established itself across the eastern U.S., allowing much warmer than normal air to bulge northward.

Today - Sunday - looks to be the coolest (least hot?) day of this week, with afternoon highs topping out around 80º after this morning's lows near 50º. A weak cold front which oozed through the area late Saturday afternoon has stopped its southward movement across North Carolina. Skies will be mostly sunny today, accompanied by light southerly winds.

Monday and Tuesday will see afternoon temperatures climb into the mid- and upper 80s, while daily highs the rest of the work week will soar into the 90s. Morning lows will only dip into the 60s as an early taste of summer weather takes charge. Hot and humid will be the order of the day for the latter half of the week.

Unfortunately that humidity won't lead to much-needed rain locally anytime soon. Here are the forecast rainfall totals across the lower 48 states through next Sunday morning:

Note two things on this graphic. First, little or no rain is predicted for Virginia. Second, the precipitation plume (black arrow) on the other side of the Appalachian Mountains indicates the western edge of the aforementioned upper level ridge. Storm systems are steered by those upper air winds, keeping the precipitation away from the local area.

Unfortunately this pattern doesn't look like it'll change anytime soon. A dry spring looms ahead.