Tracking warmth into the weekend

TODAY: Thursday is warmer, starting in the 20s in the west, and 10s in the east. We expect warmth from the west to become more dominant in the forecast as southwest winds pick up through the morning. Winds may gust as high as 20-25 mph by noon. A shift to westerly winds is expected this afternoon. Highs reach mid-40s under mostly cloudy skies, but some sunshine returns this afternoon.

TONIGHT: Temperatures remain near freezing overnight, under partly cloudy skies.

EXTENDED: A warmer start may help us reach a warmer afternoon on Friday. This has been the expectation, but new information suggests that increasingly northerly flow helps develop low clouds by midday, which could add a cooling impact in addition to cooler air from the north. Given this, it appears we may not see as many 50°+ highs on Friday afternoon. Still, it will be another above-average day, with highs forecast in the upper 40s to low 50s. This northern air accumulates enough cooler air in the region to keep lows in the 20s Saturday, and highs in the low 40s. Our next warm-up arrives Sunday, with south winds pushing highs into the 50s on Sunday, and into the 60s early next week. It's worth noting that while confidence is increasing in this spring-like warmth, we are not far removed from cooler air to the north. This means small shifts in the forecast could leave us with starkly cooler temperatures. So, while likely, warmth is not necessarily a home run in the forecast just yet. Tuesday and Wednesday bring our next chances for scattered rainfall.