FORECAST SUMMARY: Friday, March 14, 2025, through Monday, March 17, 2025
PM-2.5: 24-hour average Fine Particulate concentrations are expected to transition from mostly Low Moderate (AQI Yellow) to Good (AQI Green) during the forecast period.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
As we enter the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the weather will continue to be downright warm and early Spring-like. The last couple of days, with calm winds and sunny skies, have certainly whetted our appetite for warmer weather to come and stay.
That warm weather trend will continue through Saturday, but calm winds will yield to increasing winds as a deep low-pressure system approaches from the west. Packed isobars will increase the Friday afternoon winds into the mid-teen range with gusts in the mid-20 mph range.
Early Saturday morning will experience a storm passage associated with the low-pressure system. Any storms that do develop should move through by sunrise with warm, moist southerly flow continuing to flow. That should keep Saturday afternoon temperatures up around 70 and we will likely see stronger, sustained winds with gusts up to the mid-40 mph range.
Colder air arrives for Sunday with daily high temperatures back in the mid-40’s. Fortunately, that cooling off will be short lived as zonal flow brings back warmer air into the area through the first half of the upcoming week. Spring is coming!
In terms of Air Quality, most of the state is experiencing Low Moderate conditions for Friday. However, as the upcoming system moves through the state, it will act as a broom to sweep out the Low Moderates and should restore Good conditions for the remainder of the weekend.
EXTENDED FORECAST:
Air Quality is expected to be mostly Good going into the next week.