DELMARVA -- High pressure shifts to the south and east of Delmarva on Monday, setting up a return flow that will help push temperatures several degrees above average for late April. Winds will be variable in the morning before turning southwest at 5 to 10 mph inland. Along the coasts, sea breezes will develop by the afternoon. Behind the sea breeze, winds will settle from the south around 5 to 10 mph.
Wall-to-wall sunshine Monday with highs in the mid 70s, 60s at the coast.
Temperatures on Monday are expected to rise into the low to mid-70s, signaling the start of a much warmer pattern. Monday night will remain mostly clear with lows falling into the mid-40s to low 50s as a building upper-level ridge supports continued fair weather.
Stalled front midweek will bring a small chance for showers and storms.
By Tuesday, the return of southerly flow will strengthen, with breezes reaching up to 25 mph. This will help pull even warmer air into the region, pushing daytime highs into the mid-70s to low 80s. Clouds will begin increasing late Tuesday ahead of a warm front lifting northward. Higher dew points and rising moisture will keep Tuesday night quite mild, with lows holding in the 50s. There is a chance for a few showers Tuesday night as the front approaches.
Wednesday will bring a passing cold front that is expected to stall near or over the Delmarva Peninsula. Despite the front's arrival, it lacks a significant push of colder air. Instead, it will mainly dry the atmosphere out, leading to a west-northwest breeze behind it. Highs will remain warm, ranging from the mid-70s to low 80s across most of the region, though slightly cooler in higher elevations.
Moving into Wednesday night and Thursday, the stalled front may lift back north as a warm front, but rain chances remain low. High pressure will slide by to the north, keeping Thursday generally dry with highs in the upper 60s to upper 70s.
By Thursday night and Friday, another system will approach, bringing a better chance for showers and possibly a few thunderstorms. A low-pressure system moving through the Great Lakes and southern Canada will send a cold front toward Delmarva late Friday into early Saturday. Friday will be quite warm ahead of the front, with highs climbing into the upper 70s to mid-80s and humid conditions in place.
After the cold front crosses early Saturday, temperatures will cool closer to normal seasonal levels for the weekend. Dry, pleasant weather is expected for both Saturday and Sunday, setting up a more comfortable finish to the week.