DELMARVA -- Today marks the beginning of a warmer stretch across Delmarva as high pressure slides off the East Coast and a warm front gradually lifts north through the region. The day will feature a partly sunny and breezy sky, with just a few isolated showers possible early on. Afternoon temperatures will climb into the upper 60s to near 70 degrees, offering a mild start to the week.
Tonight stays unusually mild as the warm front continues moving through. Skies will be partly cloudy, and overnight lows will only fall into the mid to upper 50s.
By Tuesday, Delmarva turns even warmer under mostly sunny skies. Highs will rise to around 80 degrees, while southwest winds gust up to 25 miles per hour. Humidity will also begin increasing Tuesday night and continue into Wednesday.
Wednesday looks to be the warmest day of the stretch, with partly cloudy skies and inland highs reaching the low to mid 80s. That could put record highs in jeopardy, especially in Georgetown, where the record is 80 degrees set in 1979, and in Salisbury, where the record is 83 degrees set in 1978. Beaches and coastal communities will stay cooler, with highs mainly in the 60s and 70s.
A cold front approaches Wednesday afternoon and evening, bringing the next chance for showers and thunderstorms. Some storms could become briefly strong, but the overall severe weather threat remains low. Forecast guidance shows some instability in the atmosphere, though wind shear appears fairly weak, which should limit the overall risk.
Behind the front, temperatures will ease back somewhat on Thursday, with highs mainly in the mid to upper 60s and lower 70s. However, the forecast becomes more uncertain late in the week because the front may stall over Delmarva or lift back north as a warm front. That setup would allow warmer air to return and keep conditions unsettled.
At this point, Friday through Sunday look warmer than earlier forecasts suggested, with many areas potentially returning to the 70s. That said, confidence is not especially high, since if the front lingers closer to the region, temperatures could end up cooler with more clouds and showers.
The bigger picture through the weekend is an unsettled one. While there will be daily chances for showers from Thursday through Easter Sunday, no day currently looks like a total washout. The risk for severe weather or flooding also appears low through at least Saturday night. A stronger cold front may finally sweep through by Sunday or Sunday night, bringing a better chance to clear things out heading into next week.