Build a Ridge and Get Over It!

Public weather briefing

This warm air must love Madison as much as I do - it does not seem to want to leave! These warm temperatures and low dew points are sticking around for the weekend, making it the perfect weekend to enjoy the outdoors before it really starts to feel like fall. With high temperatures staying in the mid-70s and low temperatures staying in the 50s throughout the weekend, it is the perfect time to get in that last cookout or lake swim. As for changes in this beautiful weather we are experiencing, expect tomorrow to be a little bit cloudy, but with the same great temperatures we have had this week, and expect temperatures to increase a little bit toward Sunday afternoon and Monday of next week. Enjoy this last bit of summer while you can! 

Forecast 

Tonight: Lows in the 50s, with potential cloud cover coming from storms to our west.

Friday: Highs in the mid-70s, with partly cloudy conditions.

Saturday: High temperature around 75, with lows in the mid-50s.

Sunday: Warmer temperatures coming, with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s.

Outlook for Monday-Wednesday:

The week starts off warm, with warm air coming in from our south, but this warm air looks like it will pass and be replaced with cooler air from our north around mid-week. Check back on Monday of next week for a more updated forecast! [CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM]

Forecast Discussion

There is a beautiful upper level ridge building over the central US right now, keeping Madison warm and dry for the weekend. The dissipating low-pressure system to our west is bringing us some cloud cover for tomorrow, and the low-pressure system moving up the eastern coast has the potential to bring clouds to the area later in the weekend, as moisture from this system gets caught in the anti-cyclonic flow over the central US and moves westward towards Madison. As the weekend progresses, winds gradually shift from more easterly and southeasterly to southerly winds, bringing us the warmer temperatures at the end of the weekend. This ridge currently over the central US is predicted to move downstream and clear the area by early next week, at which time we may be subject to protruding Canadian air from the north and therefore cooler temperatures. While we weather geeks may be upset that there is not much weather going on right now - to you I say, "Build a ridge and get over it!"

Ashtin Massie