Daily Weather Briefing for Friday, March 31, 2017

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

...Severe thunderstorm potential today for the mid-Atlantic Seaboard...

...Heavy snow likely for the Northern/Central Rockies, Great Basin and Wasatchs...

...A wintry mix of rain, snow, and ice is expected for the Northeast today and tomorrow...

...Severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas tonight and tomorrow...

A strong area of low pressure and associated surface frontal features will continue its eastward progression today across the Mid Atlantic and Southeast. The cold front is expected to reach the Atlantic Seaboard by this evening. Until then, expect continued precipitation along and ahead of the cold front, affecting much of the East Coast. Rainfall will once again be heavy at times, and thunderstorms may also occur. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined portions of Southeast Virginia and the Eastern Carolinas in a slight risk for severe weather today for any storms which do develop. The main threats will be damaging winds and large hail. Please refer to the SPC's Convective Outlooks for more information. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/

Meanwhile, on the northeast side of this system, moisture flux from the Atlantic Ocean inland will combine with a colder airmass pushing southward from eastern Canada. This will result in a mixture of rain, snow, and ice across much of the Northeast today and tonight, before changing over to mainly snow Saturday, then tapering off by Sunday. Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for a large portion of the northeast.

Attention then shifts to the western U.S., where an elongated cold front is currently moving eastward along the western fringe of the Rockies. Expect this system to split as it moves over and east of the Rockies today, with one section moving into the north-central U.S., and another into the south-central U.S. Rain and higher elevation snow will remain in place across much of the Rockies and western portions of the Northern and Central Plains today through Saturday, as the south-central portion of the system strengthens and allows moisture flow into the region. Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of the Northern and Central Rockies for snow potential.

This low pressure system will slowly track eastward across the southern Plains over the next couple of days. By tonight, the pull of warm and unstable air from the Gulf of Mexico will interact with the associated cold front to produce yet another round of thunderstorms across this region, persisting through the weekend. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined a portion of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, northward into Western and Central Kansas, as being in a slight risk for severe thunderstorms, mainly for tonight. West-Central Texas will be under a slight risk during the day Saturday. The threat is expected to increase along the Gulf Coast by Sunday as the system pushes eastward towards this region.

LOCAL OUTLOOK

A cold front will pass through the region early today. Dry and warm high pressure builds in over the weekend... with unsettled weather returning early next week.

Weather Almanac for March 31st (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 82°F in Franklin in 1963
Lowest Temperature 13°F in Franklin in 1964
Greatest Rainfall 2.37 inches in Highlands in 1976
Greatest Snowfall 0.2 inches in Highlands in 1966



THREE DAY OUTLOOK




TODAY

Patchy fog early. Mostly cloudy with highs near the mid to upper 60s. Winds start out coming out of the southwest, shifting to come out of the northwest before noon. It will be breezy, with wind gusts in the 20 mph range. Rain is expected to end by noon with rainfall amounts of less than a quarter of an inch expected.


TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows near the mid 40s and winds out of the northwest.



SATURDAY

Sunny with highs near the lower 70s and winds out of the northwest.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear with lows near the lower 40s and winds out of the northwest becoming calm before midnight.



SUNDAY

Sunny with highs near the mid 70s.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows near 50.


HAZARDS

No hazardous weather 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

If you have an event you wish to be added to this calendar, please send the information, along with a flyer in pdf format or a high quality photo, to editor@maconmedia.com
There is no charge for civic, educational or non profit groups.

BIRDWALK on APRIL 1st

John and Cathy Sill will lead a bird walk on the Greenway. Meet at the Macon County Public Library parking area at 9:00 am.

BUILDING A RECOVERY COMMUNITY

APRIL 6th at 6 pm in the Drake Education Center at 210 Phillips Street

Donald McDonald will be the main speaker.
For more information, contact Kay 706-970-9987 or Perry 828-200-3000




2016 FIRE SIZE PRESENTATION

The United States Forest Service will be making a presentation will cover the organization of suppression resources, cooperative efforts, suppression repair activities and future Forest Service restoration activities at Tartan Hall on April 6th.

More information is on the blog at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/2016-fire-size-presentation-scheduled.html


SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

On January 1, 2017, the Syringe Exchange Program of Franklin began operating a comprehensive harm reduction program to address the opioid epidemic that is effecting western NC. Opioid overdose reversal kits including naloxone are available free of charge. If you have any questions about our services or if you know someone interested in volunteering, please contact Stephanie Almeida at 828-475-1920.





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If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only.

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You can find out more information on how to do that and some of what I plan to accomplish if I reach certain levels of funding at https://www.patreon.com/MaconMedia


Published at 4:20 am on March 31, 2017

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