A much cooler air mass has arrived. Skies will not fully clear out over the weekend.

Next 24 Hours: Clouds will persist tonight. A sprinkle or two is possible but most will stay dry. It will be cool with lows in the mid to upper 40s and north winds of 5-10mph. A stubborn cloud deck will struggle to break up on Saturday but a few glimpses of blue sky and sun can be expected. These clouds will cause a lower range in morning and afternoon temperatures with highs in the low to mid 60s.

Up Next: A reinforcing front will come by on Sunday with more clouds and isolated showers. Most of the activity should be during the first half of the day with a bit of clearing before dusk. The front will be more progressive and provide drier, comfortable conditions for Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras.  A mainly clear, dry and seasonable pattern is expected for most of next week. By next Friday, highs could be pushing the 80s once again. CLICK HERE for your detailed 7-Day Forecast.

Local Mardi Gras Parades: The Krewe of Southdowns will roll with temperatures near 50 on Friday night and although showers will be wrapped up, clouds will stick. Spanish Town can expect mainly cloudy skies around midday Saturday with temperatures in the low 60s. Krewe of Good Friends of the Oaks may have to dodge a stray shower during staging on Sunday morning but it should be drier but cloudy by parade time with temperatures in the upper 50s.  

The Explanation: The main features of the weekend forecast will be ongoing cloud cover and a weak cold front. A stalled front in the northern Gulf of Mexico, will serve as a lifting mechanism for deep southwest winds in the atmosphere. As moisture is hoisted over this front, it will become trapped in a layer of cool air near the surface that can’t mix out due to warmer temperatures in the upper levels. If surface temperatures can warm a bit, or upper level temperatures can cool, then clouds will be able to break apart on Saturday. Right now, that is not expected. A weak, upper level disturbance will swing through on Sunday sending a cold front through the area. A few showers will accompany the front through early, but the atmosphere will quickly dry behind the disturbance and the area could begin clearing as early as Sunday afternoon. A quiet weather pattern is expected next week as a weak upper level ridge builds over the region. This will result in a steady, but slow moderating trend meaning temperatures will not skyrocket back into the 80s like last week. In fact, most days should top out in the mid 70s with seasonably cool nights in the 40s.  The ridge will also maintain sinking air motions and therefore mainly clear skies.

--Josh

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