Daily Weather Briefing for Tuesday, March 21, 2017

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

...Heavy snow possible over the Sierras...

...Heavy rain over parts of Northern California...

...Snow over parts of the Northern/Central Plains...

Low pressure over the Ohio Valley will move eastward off the Mid-Atlantic Coast by Tuesday afternoon. The associated front will advance southward to the interior Gulf Coast States and eastward off the Southern Mid-Atlantic Coast by Wednesday morning. The system will produce showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Ohio Valley/Central Appalachians that will move to parts of the Mid-Atlantic/Tennessee Valley on Tuesday morning that will end over the Mid-Atlantic by Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday, moisture will pool along the boundary from parts of the Southern Plains to the Southeast. Also on Tuesday afternoon, showers and thunderstorms will expand along the front over the Tennessee Valley into the Middle Mississippi Valley that will expand into parts of the Southeast by Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Overnight Tuesday, the showers and thunderstorms will expand into parts of the Southern Plains.

Meanwhile, upper-level energy over the Northern Intermountain Region/Northern Rockies will move eastward and dissipate over the Ohio Valley by Tuesday evening. The energy will develop snow and rain over parts of Northern Intermountain Region/Northern Rockies into parts of the Northern/Central High Plains that will move eastward into parts of the Northern/Central Plains by Tuesday morning and Middle Mississippi Valley that will end by Tuesday evening. A second area of upper-level energy will move out of the Northern Rockies into the Central Plains Tuesday into Wednesday morning. The energy will produce rain and some snow over parts of the Central Rockies/Central High Plains that will move into parts of the Central/Northern Plains by Wednesday.

Additionally, a plume of moisture and onshore flow will move into the West Coast producing rain and higher elevations snow over the Northern/Central California into the Pacific Northwest that will expand eastward into the Northern Rockies/Great Basin on Tuesday. The rain and higher elevation snow will continue over the West Coast through Wednesday while rain moves into Southern California overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

LOCAL OUTLOOK

A cold front will approach the forecast area today into Wednesday, increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms. A few of the thunderstorms could be strong this evening. Cooler air will return behind the front to end the work week before another frontal system approaches the area next weekend.

Weather Almanac for March 21st (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 81°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1968
Lowest Temperature 8°F in Franklin in 1965
Greatest Rainfall 2.80 inches in Franklin in 1980
Greatest Snowfall 4.5 inches in In Nantahala in 1936

The state record for the amount of snow to fall on this date is 29 inches on Mount Mitchell in 2001.


THREE DAY OUTLOOK




TODAY

Patchy fog early. Partly sunny early with increasing clouds. Highs near 70 and winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph, gusting to 25 mph in the morning. 60% chance of rain and thunderstorms, some of which may become severe, mainly after 2 pm. Rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are expected.


TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with patchy fog before midnight and lows near the upper 40s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph. 70% chance of rain and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 am.



WEDNESDAY

Mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s and winds out of the north 5 to 10 mph. 50% chance of rain.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows near the upper 30s and winds out of the east. 30% chance of rain.



THURSDAY

Partly sunny with decreasing clouds and highs near 50.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy with increasing clouds and lows near the mid 30s.


HAZARDS

Severe weather is possible. There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Some of the thunderstorms may produce large hail and damaging wind gusts.

Spotters are asked to report large hail and damaging winds to the National Weather Service on Tuesday.

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 4:15 am on March 21, 2017

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