Daily Weather Briefing for Saturday, March 18, 2017

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

...Record warmth expected over much of the western U.S. as heavy snow moves across the northern Cascades...

...Cold and wintry precipitation expected to spread from the Great Lakes into the Northeast during the weekend...

An upper-level trough is forecast to deepen and dig southeastward across the Great Lakes and the mid-Atlantic states before moving off the coast on Sunday. Unseasonably cold air will once again overspread much of the northern and northeastern portions of the country along with a swath of wintry precipitation. A surface low pressure system is forecast to deepen rapidly as it moves off the mid-Atlantic coast Saturday night and should pass about a couple hundred miles off Cape Cod on Sunday. Much of the wintry precipitation in the Northeast should be tapering off on Sunday with the exception of Cape Cod where the storm could be close enough to produce a period of heavier snow along with strong gusty winds. Ahead of the trailing cold front, rain will be the primary precipitation type from mid-Atlantic southwestward through the mid and lower Mississippi Valley where some scattered thunderstorms are possible.

Out West, a progressive upper-level trough will usher in a strong cold front across the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies during the weekend. Temperatures ahead of the cold front are expected to reach record levels from the Desert Southwest through much of the Rockies on Saturday, spreading into the central Plains on Sunday. Behind the front, snow is expected to be heavy in the northern Cascades before tapering off later on Sunday. The front is forecast to become nearly stationary across the Intermountain West on Sunday with coastal/valley rains and higher elevation snows. Meanwhile, the northern portion of the front should continue to move steadily eastward into the northern Plains on Sunday with rain in the upper Midwest and possibly thunderstorms farther south in the Midwest.

LOCAL OUTLOOK

A cold front will move through the area this morning. Dry high pressure will overspread the region in the front's wake and persist into early next week. Another cold front is expected to approach the forecast area from the north by the middle of next week.

Weather Almanac for March 18th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 81°F in Franklin in 1982
Lowest Temperature 4°F in Highlands in 1902
Greatest Rainfall 5.30 inches in Highlands in 1884
Greatest Snowfall 1.50 inches in Highlands in 1958

The rainfall recorded in Highlands on this date in 1884 is also the state record for the date.


THREE DAY OUTLOOK




TODAY (Outdoor burning is not recommended due to high winds )

Patchy fog before 10 am. Cloudy early, gradually become mostly sunny b y 6 pm. Highs near the mid 60s. Winds start out the day about 5 mph from the northeast and will shift to come out of the northwest before noon. Winds will increase to 10 to 15 mph with wind gusts between 20 to 30 mph with winds peaking between 4 pm and 6 pm. Outdoor burning is not recommended due to the high winds.


TONIGHT

Partly cloudy with lows near 30 ans winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 20 mph.



SUNDAY

Sunny with highs near the upper 50s and winds out of the northwest.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Clear with lows near freezing and winds out of the northwest, calming before midnight.



MONDAY

Mostly sunny with highs near the mid to upper 60s.

MONDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy with lows near the upper 40s.


HAZARDS

Hazardous Weather is not expected today.


As always, you can check to see what advisories, watches and warnings are in effect for Macon County by visiting http://is.gd/MACONWARN


MACON CALENDAR

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BENEFIT 4 BRITTANY & DIANE

Saturday, March 25 at 5 PM - 9 PM
at Cartoogechaye Elementary School

Learn more about it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1271875169584301/





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Published at 2:25 am on March 18, 2017

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