COLUMBIA, S.C. — High pressure will build into the area today, setting the stage for a long period of quiet weather. We are expecting dry conditions through Thursday and Friday. Temperatures are expected to stay at or slightly above seasonal averages as we head into the weekend.
Wednesday, we had high temperatures in the middle 80s. The Columbia airport had a high temperature of 86 degrees. Skies will be partly cloudy today. High temperatures will again be in the middle 80s.
Friday, we may see slightly more cloud cover than today due to a weak upper-level disturbance; no widespread rain is expected. Our in-house model does try to paint in a stray shower, though. Daytime highs will once again reach the low to mid-80s, while overnight lows will remain warm, settling in the mid-60s due to higher-than-normal surface moisture.
Looking ahead towards the weekend, high pressure will likely dominate, with slightly above-normal moisture and temperatures in place. Expect highs in the lower to middle 80s and lows in the mid-60s.
A cold front is expected to approach on Monday, bringing the potential for some rain, although most areas should remain dry. By the end of next week, strong high pressure is forecast to move into the region, and we may finally see some cooler, fall-like temperatures.
Probabilities suggest a high chance of below-normal temperatures Wednesday through Friday, with fall weather potentially making its long-awaited appearance. Until then, expect the marginal late summer weather to continue.
Tracking the Tropics:
The tropics remain busy, but both Kirk and Leslie are forecast to stay away from the United States.
The National Hurricane Center is also monitoring an area in the Gulf of Mexico, but that is not expected to make an impact on our weather.