Summer-like and dry to begin the weekend, spring-like and wet to end it

The 80s are back in the forecast for this Friday afternoon under sunny skies and with light winds. There could be some scattered showers later this afternoon, but the atmosphere is dry enough in Mecklenburg County to cast doubt on those chances. However, a harbinger of change is slowly pushing southwest across the Eastern Shore in the form of a backdoor cold front. 

Saturday looks to begin clear and sunny, but clouds will approach late in the day as that backdoor cold front clashes with a "normal" cold front crossing the Appalachians from the west. Afternoon highs will reach the mid- and upper 80s again tomorrow, just ahead of showers and a few thunderstorms arriving near the five o'clock hour. No severe weather is expected, but lightning is always something to be wary of.

Sunday will then feature a temperature reversal back to spring conditions after that "normal" cold front pushes through. The latter weekend day will see morning thermometer readings in the low 50s, with afternoon highs only climbing to the mid-60s under cloudy skies. Showers are likely most of the day, along with northerly winds gusting up to 15 mph.

Despite dampening weekend outdoor plans this precipitation is good news given the latest Drought Monitor (left panel). This week's graphic shows Extreme Drought conditions (red shade) covering much of Mecklenburg County. Meanwhile the right panel is a forecast of rain totals through Monday morning:

Although more rain could be forthcoming during the middle of next week, it will require much more liquid to alleviate these dry conditions. Fingers crossed that the remainder of the spring season will be wetter.