Seasonably cool to begin the work week

Sunday's rainfall totals around Mecklenburg County were pitiful, much less than was forecast by most of the numerical models. That doesn't bode well for the worsening drought conditions across the region, especially since conditions look to remain dry through the upcoming weekend. The upside is that this week will feature gorgeous April weather. 

The cold front which moved through the county late Sunday left behind a much cooler airmass than last week's anomalous heat and humidity. Temperatures began this Monday morning in the low 40s and will top out in the upper 60s this afternoon. That range is actually pretty close to the average for this point in April. Tuesday will be a couple degrees cooler behind another cold front which will reinforce the cooler and drier conditions.

Although there is no severe weather expected anytime soon, it's important to emphasize that having multiple ways to receive warnings is a good idea. One method to NOT count on is an outdoor siren. This graphic explains why folks indoors and/or sleeping shouldn't count on sirens to warn them:

Some folks may still expect to hear sirens when severe weather approaches. However, this 1950s era technology has been supplanted by more modern methods like cellphone apps, weather radios, and Wireless Emergency Alerts. Count on those for weather warnings.