Although The Threat Of Widespread High Water Has Decreased, Downpours Later Thursday Into Friday Should Still Be Monitored For The Possibility Of Localized Water Level Rises & Ponding
Overnight Into Thursday Morning
Mostly cloudy. Mild. S to SW winds 5-15 mph with higher gusts along mid-upper elevation mountain ridges-plateaus. Temperatures in the 50s to near 60 degrees.
Thursday Afternoon
Mostly cloudy and unseasonably warm. Chance of a shower or thunderstorm. S-SW winds 10-20 mph with higher gusts. Temperatures varying from the low-mid 60s to the low-mid 70s ( coolest in upper elevations ).
Thursday Night Into Friday Morning
Showers & thunderstorms developing. Downpours likely. Gusty SW winds shifting NW-NNW at 5-15 mph, with higher gusts. Turning colder overnight into morning with temps dropping into the 30s to mid-upper 40s ( coldest at upper elevations ). Wind chills dropping into the 30s to low 40s, with 20s at highest elevations.
Friday Morning Through The Afternoon
Mostly cloudy, damp, and chilly with a chance of showers and drizzle. Mixed precipitation or snowflakes possible at highest elevations. Widespread low clouds-fog at the upper elevations. Temps holding near steady or falling in the 40s at low-mid elevations, and the 30s at upper elevations, in locations along and north of the High Knob Massif and Tennessee Valley Divide. Wind chills in the 20s & 30s.
An unsettled weather pattern is expected to continue into April with more significant precipitation likely amid the return of cooler than average conditions.
Weather Discussion ( Close Call )
Although some light showers have occurred during the past 24-hours, high pressure off the southeastern USA coast has been just strong enough to hold training batches of heavier rainfall west of the mountains in the Kentucky foothills.
One aspect not being under-estimated has been wind, with gusts topping 30-40 mph ( especially across upper elevations ) during the past several days & nights. This has kept the atmosphere well mixed and relatively mild for late March.
High Knob Massif Webcam – University Of Virginia’s College At Wise
Rather extensive snow continued to cover upper elevations in the high country, especially northern slopes, throughout March 27.
Downpours are still expected as the front approaches the mountains by Thursday Night into early hours of Friday, but duration of heavy rain should be limited within the maritime tropical air mass ahead of the cold front.
Given recent snow melt and wet conditions strong rises may still occur on streams, so please remain alert.
NAM 3 KM Model Temperature Forecast At 4:00 PM Friday – March 30, 2018
A modified cP ( continental Polar ) air mass will be pouring into the mountains Friday, and if low clouds hold tough the conditions will become extremely chilly with 30s and 40s in locations along and west-northwest of the Cumberland and Allegheny Front ( with colder wind chills ).
