Good MLK Day to one and all. On this day we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, we find milder air continuing to surge into the region. This will cause some thunderstorms to blow up later this evening as we have an action packed pattern ahead.

Temps today have been slower to respond than I thought, but the numbers continue to rise as the warm fronts lifts to our north. This allows showers and some thunderstorms to go up across the west. A few of the storms may be strong across that area before weakening as they head northeast…

The showers and thunder will carry us into Tuesday before a one day break in the action on Wednesday. This will lead to slightly chillier air before another surge of mild and storms by Thursday. Locally heavy rains carry us into Friday.

You think we get a break after that? Nope. Here comes the monster upper low this weekend into early next week. The GFS is finally getting on board…

GFS

Here’s the surface map from that same model run…

GFS

That type of track would give us thunderstorms and heavy rain to start with the possibility of snow under the track of the upper low. High winds would also be a big issue.

As I’ve said, wild things can happen with big upper lows like that.

That’s the system that unleashes the back loaded winter scenario for the 4th straight year. The GFS Ensembles show a very cold look later next week…

GFS 2

It’s one extreme to the other and that seems to be the calling card of this winter.

I will have another update coming your way later today. Make it a good one and take care.