A sharp shift in the weather pattern heading to the Carolinas through the Easter weekend might have you feeling like weather whiplash as a classic cold-air damming setup takes shape.
After Thursday’s unseasonably warm temperatures reaching about 10 to 20 degrees above average, a strong cold front will move through Friday. This will send temperatures tumbling nearly 40 degrees.
“Those of you that live across the South, I mean, it is going to feel just downright cold,” FOX Weather meteorologist Jason Frazer said. “We do not anticipate ever seeing temperatures in the 40s (this time of year), and, unfortunately, for many of you, you’re going to end up seeing the 40s by (Saturday).”
PATTERN SHIFT TO USHER IN COAST-TO-COAST WEATHER CHANGES FROM EASTER WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK
The FOX Forecast Center said high temperatures Saturday would indeed be well below average, hanging in the 40s and 50s, as strong area of high pressure over the Great Lakes will send continued cooler air into the Carolinas.
The Appalachian Mountains will act as a dam, or a block, allowing the chilly air to build and persist over the region. This is known as cold-air damming, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
This pattern also keeps steady rain in the forecast, and totals could reach up to 2 to 3 inches in some spots before things begin to clear out early next week.
The chill is short-lived though, with warmer temperatures returning Sunday.
“By Easter Sunday … we are finally going to end up seeing temperatures rebound,” Frazer said. “We’re also going to see the sky end up clearing out here.”