Warming weekend kicks off another warmer than average week ahead

Is it spring, winter, summer, or fall? While Mother Nature may still be undecided on the answer to that, the next week will feel more like early April than mid-February. That’s right, the warm weather is back and is shaping up to bring you a pretty good weekend in the metro.

Wide World of Warmth

The warming trend that started on Thursday will continue Friday as a ridge over the center of the country builds east. High pressure will remain over the region to end your work week, with temperatures jumping into the mid to upper 60s.

Temperatures are on the upswing over the next few days, as seen here in this temperature map (oranges/reds are 70s), with winds shifting out of the south to southwest. (PivotalWx)

Sunny skies will make Friday a pleasant way to lead into the weekend. A south to southwest wind will help usher in that warmer air too, leading to a more temperate overnight low in the 50s on Friday night. By comparison, our average high for this time in February is the mid 50s.

Showers on Saturday

The next chance of rain enters the picture Friday night into Saturday. A low pressure system moving across the Gulf of Mexico will throw the chance of showers north into the Mid-South overnight Friday night, though mostly scattered in nature. It will certainly not be a total washout on Saturday, with the best chance of showers coming between midnight and noon. Temps will still stay warm in the mid 60s.

Our next chance of rain will move through Friday night into Saturday. Though this NOAA surface map shows lots of green over the Mid-South, we’re expecting more scattered precipitation over the early part of the weekend

Showers and rain will be more likely the further you head south. If you’re traveling down through the Magnolia State, you could see a few thunderstorms too. These storms will likely not be severe across most of the state, though the Mississippi coast could see some stronger ones.

Overall, Saturday will be the only questionable day weather-wise over the holiday weekend ahead. Sunday will see clearing skies and warmer temperatures. 70+ degrees would not be a surprise over most of the metro area, with lows in the 50s.

70s in Command!

For those of you with extended weekends thanks to the Presidents Day holiday, Monday may be the best day of your weekend. Sunny skies and temperatures into the lower 70s will make you want to be outside soaking up some unseasonably warm rays. Lows in the 50s won’t feel bad either on Monday night.

The next system worth watching enters the picture for Memphis around mid-week. A low pressure center currently off the California coast will work its way across the west this weekend, and could bring rain and thunderstorms into the Mid-South by late Tuesday or Wednesday. Of course, MWN will keep you ahead of any incoming storms all through the next week. Looking further ahead, the temperature outlook indicates a very high likelihood of above average temperatures continuing into the last weekend of February.

The temperature outlook for Feb. 22-26 indicates a greater than 70% chance that above average temperatures continue across the Mid-South. (NOAA/CPC)

Want to get more updates from MWN? Check out our human-powered forecast and don’t forget to download the MWN app for your smartphone and tablet to get your daily dose of MWN in one complete package!

Alex Herbst, Meteorologist
MWN Social Media Intern

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