Eclipse Viewing Monday Looking Good, Strong To Severe Thunderstorms Possible Tuesday Afternoon/Night
Good evening, everyone! Tonight expect mostly clear skies and dry conditions. Lows will range from 51 to 60 degrees.
Monday will be partly to mostly sunny, with an isolated shower possible north during the late afternoon hours. The solar eclipse will start around 1:30 PM, peak at around 2:45 PM and end at around 3:30 PM for the area. Viewing conditions look good, with partly to mostly sunny skies expected for all. Northern areas will see the most clouds, but should still see fair conditions for eclipse viewing. Make sure to properly view the eclipse, using the safety tips found here https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety.
High temperatures Monday will range from 82 to 91 degrees. Temperatures may drop a degree or two during the eclipse, due to loss of sunlight.
Monday night we should see partly clear skies, with a bit more cloud cover than during the day Monday. It should be mostly dry, but an isolated shower can’t be ruled out north. Lows will range from 55 to 64 degrees.
Tuesday will be partly sunny, with high heat and humidity levels. Dew points in the mid to upper 60s will combine with air temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s to create heat indices ranging from 85 to 94 degrees. Actual high temperatures will range from 84 to 93 degrees. Outdoor activity is not recommended between 11 AM and 5 PM, and if you must work outdoors make sure to drink plenty of water.
Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night a cold front will approach the area. Expect clouds to increase late in the day in association with this front as well. During the afternoon, isolated-widely scattered thunderstorms will pop up ahead of the front in a warm and unstable airmass. Expect this activity to primarily affect northern zones. Any storm could be severe, with damaging winds and large hail the main threats.
Tuesday evening the cold front itself will begin pushing through the area. A line of thunderstorms is likely to be associated with this frontal passage. Timing is uncertain however, and the front may cross the area after dark, when instability is lower. The area most likely to be affected by lines of storms when the front passes is northern zones, with gradually decreasing chances as you head southeast. Still, an isolated severe thunderstorm will be possible with this passage across southern areas through the nighttime hours. The front will finally clear the coast early Wednesday morning, with showers continuing there until it passes.
Low temperatures Tuesday night will range from 65 to 74 degrees.
Have a great evening and enjoy the eclipse tomorrow! I’ll be back with an update on Tuesday’s severe thunderstorm threat tomorrow afternoon or evening.
