Friday Night: Partly Clear. Low: 40°F
Saturday: Partly Cloudy. Low: 57°F
Saturday Night: Partly Cloudy. Low: 36°F
Sunday: Few Clouds. High 61°F
Sunday Night: Clear. Low 38°F
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General Discussion:
Happy Friday! A relatively cool and dry weekend is in store for Columbia, with high temperatures in the low 60s and some occasional clouds.
-Collier
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Forecasters: Collier, Ebert, McCormack
Date Issued: 04/19/2024 4:30 PM CST
Technical Discussion:
Key Messages:
- High temperatures will remain steadily in the upper 50s to low 60s over the weekend—slightly below average for this time of year (average high: 68, average low: 47).
- The weekend is looking to be relatively dry, with no precipitation expected and only intermittent clouds.
Upper level flow remains zonal this weekend, with a slight ridge building to our west over the plains region that will help to keep the weather especially calm. A surface high is situated around Oklahoma; the forecast area’s position in relation to this center means that we will be receiving a generous amount of north-northwesterly flow. This cool, dry air will work to keep temperatures in the low 60s, despite plenty of radiational heating expected. Gusts up to 20 mph are expected Saturday afternoon, but for the most part, weekend winds will be kept to a light breeze.
There are some minor discrepancies between the NAM and GFS in terms of mid-level moisture resolution Saturday morning and evening. The GFS in general favors more moisture, which could mean more clouds at these time frames, but regardless, the mid-level cloud layer is not expected to be particularly thick. Mostly clear nights will allow for overnight cooling down to the upper 30s.
Early Sunday morning (around 9Z), a shortwave is expected to pass over the forecast area. Due to the aforementioned dry conditions and lack of other instability, this is not expected to produce any sensible weather. Some low-level clouds may result.
-Collier