COLUMBIA, S.C. — A shift to drier air and reduced rain chances is underway this weekend, but increased moisture and better rain chances are anticipated to return later in the week.
Temperatures will remain slightly below normal through early next week before returning to typical summer levels by midweek.
A weak cold front is slowly moving through the area, keeping Saturday's high temperatures cooler than average. Highs will range from the upper 80s to around 90. "Feels like" temperatures are still expected to get into the mid-90s.
Saturday Night, lows will dip into the 60s in the northeast, with around 70 degrees elsewhere.
Sunday rain chances will be minimal, with only a slight possibility of an isolated shower. Highs will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s, and lows will be in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees.
As we move into the work week, moisture will surge from the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the possibility of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms returning Monday. Models show showers and storms breaking out in the morning on Monday and drying out Midday before a line of storms moves through the area in the evening. The storms are not expected to be severe.
This will provide much-needed rainfall as the entire Midlands is experiencing some form of drought. The most recent drought monitor has Newberry, northeast Saluda County, Lexington, Lower Richland, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Clarendon, Sumter, and Lee all under severe drought.
Southeastern Lee, eastern Sumter and northeast Clarendon counties are experiencing extreme drought, which is at a level 4 out of 5.
As we look at rain chances into the week, models show only around a quarter of an inch for most of the Midlands, with higher totals in our more northern counties.
