DELMARVA -- It is all about sunshine today, but don’t let the bright sky fool you because it is still a chilly day from start to finish. High temperatures will remain stuck in the 40s for many communities, while parts of the Mid-Shore may manage to reach the low 50s. An east-northeast wind at 10 to 20 mph will keep the air feeling even cooler.
The reason for the chill is a strong Canadian high pressure system centered over New York State. That system is expected to shift off the coast of New England tonight, but for now it is keeping a very dry and seasonably cold air mass locked in across the region. That dry air will remain in place through tonight, setting the stage for another cold overnight period.
Another cold night, mostly clear skies and lows in the low to mid 30s.
Tonight, Freeze Warnings in effect for Sussex and Kent Counties in Delaware, Queen Anne's, Talbot and Caroline counties in Maryland. temperatures will fall into the upper 20s to low/mid 30s across Delmarva, and frost will be possible by Thursday morning in some spots. Anyone with sensitive plants will want to keep that in mind before heading to bed tonight.
Frost is possible Thursday morning on Delmarva away from the coast.
By Thursday, conditions improve a bit. Skies will turn partly cloudy, and temperatures will moderate back into the upper 50s to near 60 degrees. The overall weather pattern stays dry, thanks to expansive high pressure remaining in control through the rest of the week. Relative humidity values will stay quite low, especially through Thursday, although winds will be lighter than they were earlier this week as the pressure gradient weakens.
Temperatures moderate back to the low 70s by late week and into the weekend.
As we head toward the end of the week, winds shift out of the southeast Thursday and then southwest Friday as the high slides offshore. That will help bring a milder feel, but the pattern still lacks meaningful moisture, so rain chances remain very low.
The next chance for any precipitation comes with a cold front sinking southeast Friday night into Saturday morning, but at this point that chance looks limited. Not expecting much in the way of rainfall on Delmarva. Behind it, another area of high pressure is expected to build in, keeping the remainder of the weekend dry with temperatures staying mild to warm.
Looking ahead to early next week, the warming trend becomes much more noticeable. Highs are expected to climb well into the 70s by Monday, and many spots could reach the 80s by Tuesday. By then, it may feel more like summer than spring across Delmarva.
