Sunny Today; Hot Tamale & Unsettled Weekend

Yes...and it's hot today for that matter.  In fact, the record max for today of 96ºF (set in 1999 at KMDT) is in danger.  That being said, tomorrow could actually be a degree or 2 higher before the cold front approaches from the north and west.  The map below shows the sharp temperature gradient that will be over PA thanks to our air from the Canucks.

That front is well depicted on the modeling with both the wind shift as noted by the streamlines and the showers and thunderstorms that will accompany the frontal passage. First shown below is the potential for some beneficial rains to assist in withdrawal symptoms I'm observing in my friend Ronnie as he has not had to mow in the last couple of days.  You see this addictive behavior in so many avenues of life, but lawn mowers anonymous meetings cannot be found at many locations in our area!

The map below shows the surface winds and the frontal boundary between the air masses is clearly represented by the streamlines.

Once the front passes Thursday night and Friday morning, it will not venture too far south of our area leading to an increased potential for showers and thundershowers for this upcoming weekend.  Enough of a push south however will lead to cooler temps for Friday so NO HEATWAVE this time of 3 days of 90ºF+ temps, but try to tell anyone that today or Thursday and they'll look at you like you have 3 eyes!  Here is the guidance for max temps for Friday afternoon.

The map below is the GFS ensembles for next week at this time in terms of the "normal" max temps for next Wednesday.  As you can see, once this heat is pushed south and west down over Big D, we will be looking at temps averaging below normal for a few days.  What this map doesn't show is that some of the modeling does take tropical storm Arlene's remnants and creates a nice storm for the mid-Atlantic and points north.  If that scenario would verify, Ronnie would once again be mowing every other day through June!

In closing, the picture below is from Rocky Mountain National Park in central CO.  Hindered by the most late-season snow in the last quarter century, Rocky Mountain National Park crews finally opened Trail Ridge Road for the season 2 mornings ago.  This opening is more than a week after the traditional Memorial Day weekend opening.  The roadway is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, climbing to 12,183 feet and connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake.  The road was officially closed last Oct. 29, 2010 for the winter season.  Why didn't the road open on Memorial day Weekend?  There was simply too much late-season snow, according to RMNP officials.  Before this week's late opening, the latest the road had reopened in the past 20 years was June 4, 1994. The latest the road has ever opened was June 26, 1943.

And just to keep you in the cold season spirit, the video below shows snow on Mauna Kea; home to some of the world's largest optical telescopes.  Snow is a relatively common occurrence in January in the peaks of  the Big Island, but not in June!  It's a sure sign of more of this thing called global warming!

Off to grade final exams from my attendees.  Have a good Wednesday!

Smitty

AA:  Hot through Thursday, then showers/storms Thursday night into Friday.  Cooler with some showers over the weekend.  Much cooler by middle of next week.