Forecast Last Updated at Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 5:47PM

Pleasant & Mild Weekend

We finally have a dry weekend – the first totally dry weekend in 3 weeks. Temperatures are slightly cooler than average. Clouds increase gradually Sunday. Rain returns Monday and Tuesday with cool temperatures. It will be a dreary start to the workweek. Skies brighten up a bit for the remainder of the week but the pattern remains unsettled with the threat of showers each day. I hope you are able to get outdoors and enjoy the nice weather this weekend.

If you haven't been to Merlefest, you should take a day and head to Wilkesboro, NC next weekend. It's a great Bluegrass festival that runs Thursday through Sunday. Expect cooler than average temperatures with most of the showers over just in time for the festival.

Voting is underway in the 2019 Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar Photo Contest. We received over 700 entries in the contest (the most ever). Many thanks to all the photographers for the great response. Voting will continue until May 1, 2018.

Saturday Hi: 65 Lo: 42 Clear; Cool; Light south wind

Sunday Hi: 64 Lo: 44 More clouds; Nice finish to the weekend; SE wind 5-10 mph

Monday Hi: 55 Lo: 47 Cloudy & cool; Rain likely, especially afternoon and Monday night; Breezy; East wind 10-20 mph & gusty

Tuesday Hi: 56 Lo: 48 Cloudy & remaining cool; Rain likely

Wednesday Hi: 65 Lo: 50 Mainly cloudy; Milder; Scattered showers

Further Out

Thursday - Mostly Cloudy; Spotty showers around; High in the lower 60s; Low in the mid 40s
Friday - Partly sunny; Stray showers possible; High in the mid 60s; Low near 40 degrees

Forecast Discussion

High pressure centered over the Great Lakes region slowly shifts toward the east coast this weekend. This will promote dry and pleasant weather today and Sunday. Clouds increase Sunday ahead of low pressure organizing across the Deep South.

Rain returns Monday and continues Tuesday as low pressure slowly treks east across the Southeast. High pressure will be off the NE coast and wedging down east of the Appalachians keeping temperatures cool. These are the wettest and coolest days of the forecast cycle.

Low pressure crawls up the East Coast Wednesday and Thursday. A cool pool of air aloft associated with a broad upper level trough will keep things unsettled the rest of the week. Wednesday has the best chance of showers in the extended period as low pressure begins moving off the coast.

The trough with cool air aloft keeps clouds and the threat of a shower in play Thursday and Friday. If Merlefest is on your mind (and it should be), think cooler than average temperatures and a stray shower possible Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. We'll be warily watching that second low near the Gulf Coast later in the weekend.

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