Forecast Last Updated at Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 6:54AM

Warmer Today; Showers Friday

The weather trend is our friend this week, but Friday will be the exception. Today has lots of sun with some clouds arriving late and then increasing clouds tonight. A front moves through Friday with showers possible late tonight. Showers (with a thundershower possible) will be with us for a good part of Friday, tapering off after 3 PM. It will be quite breezy Friday and Friday night. The weekend will be terrific--warmer temperatures and lots of sun. Enjoy the weekend; next week, not so nice.

It's our favorite time of year again... MerleFest is today through Sunday with wall-to-wall music on 13 stages. The weather looks great (except for showers and thundershowers during the daytime Friday). See our Hour-by-Hour MerleFest Forecast for details.

Thursday Hi: 70 Lo: 50 Early sun; More clouds late; Warmer; Showers possible late tonight; South wind 5-15 mph becoming gusty at higher elev's tonight

Friday Hi: 70 Lo: 45 Generally cloudy; Showers & t-showers, tapering off after 3 PM, ending late-day; SW wind 5-15 mph gusty at times especially up top, becoming NW 10-20 mph at night

Saturday Hi: 73 Lo: 48 Sunny skies; Beautiful Saturday; AM wind 5-15 mph (breezy early), becoming SW 5-10 mph

Sunday Hi: 77 Lo: 52 Warmer day with increasing clouds late

Monday Hi: 70 Lo: 52 Generally cloudy; Chance of showers especially in the afternoon; Increased shower coverage at night

Further Out

Tuesday - Cloudy; Showers; High in the lower 70s; Low in the upper 40s
Wednesday - Cloudy; Showers; High in the lower 60s; Low in the upper 40s

Forecast Discussion

After a chilly start in valleys, today will be very nice (warmer) with lots of sun. Clouds increase late today and tonight in advance of a cold front that will move through Friday from the west.

Friday's front bring showers and a few thundershowers from late Thursday night through mid-afternoon Friday. Then showers taper off later Friday afternoon, ending by late afternoon. It will be breezy as well.

Then the weekend... Ah, the weekend looks terrific--warmer temperatures and lots of sun. Some cloudiness returns late Sunday increasing Sunday night. The only other caveat is breezy conditions early Saturday morning.

Enjoy the weekend because next week will not be so nice. Weather systems slow to a snail's pace across the country next week. An upper-level low will move out of the Rockies Sunday in the the center of the U. S. Monday. It then loiters through Missouri and the Ohio Valley Monday through Wednesday. Spokes of energy/moisture will rotate through our region Monday through Wednesday (and maybe beyond Wednesday). Details on timing are impossible to predict at this point. So for now, we just have a forecast for showers through this time-frame, especially Monday afternoon through Wednesday. Thunder will be possible as well. It will not be raining all that time, but wise folks will have an umbrella handy.

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