WEATHER BLOG: April Showers In March

Ample sunshine boosted temperatures to 60 in the city Saturday, the warmest temp since March 9. (The warmest temp of 2013 was 70 on Jan. 30).

Early Sunday morning, high clouds were streaming over the region ahead a zone of low pressure crossing the Ohio Valley. The jet stream disturbance responsible for the low will streak to the Northeast Coast Sunday causing clouds to thicken after sunrise and rain to arrive late Sunday morning. Rain will then continue through the early afternoon, with a few showers lingering afterward. Rain totals of 0.15-0.35 inches are expected in most places.

Breezy conditions will prevail on Monday (gusts to near 30 mph) as a sharp cold front approaches from the northwest. Ahead of the front, it will be quite mild, with temps rising to near 60. The front will then cross the area in the mid to late afternoon accompanied by clouds and spotty showers. We can't rule out a rumble of thunder in a few spots. In the wake of the cold front, gusty winds from the northwest will import much colder air into the region Monday night. A pronounced dip in the jet stream will take hold across the Eastern States once again and keep conditions unseasonably cold for Tuesday and Wednesday. A large pressure difference between Canadian High building over the northern Plains and a storm over the Canadian Maritimes will also promote gusty winds on Wednesday and Thursday adding to the chill of the day. Highs will struggle to reach the mid 40s, with overnight lows below freezing.

This high will then cross the Northeast and move off the Mid Atlantic Coast on Thursday allowing the chill to relax with temps rising well into the 50s.