After a cold open to March, a taste of spring will develop this week as temperatures go into the 50s Tuesday, 60s Wednesday, and 70s (not a typo) for the first time this year on Thursday. Unfortunately, this spring preview will be joined by a strong and potentially damaging wind event Thursday.
A combination of ingredients has us particularly concerned in advance of this event:
- A well mixed airmass
- Lapse rates exceeding 8 deg or higher C/Km- enabling easier access to the high winds aloft (you can read more about this here if curious)
- Dry slot after Wednesday showers and Thursday evening rain
Accordingly, the potential of 60 MPH + gusts are possible Thursday and we’d expect the National Weather Service to eventually have to issue high wind products as we get closer. These are the type gusts that will lead to downed trees and scattered power outages.
Already, modeling is producing ominous signals for very high and potentially damaging gusts out of the southwest Thursday. Stay tuned, friends.
