Another potent winter storm is upon us, but instead of strong thunderstorms, we will get rain and wind. As of now, temperatures are warming on the southeastern side of the storm. Mid southerly winds are starting to ramp up. Clouds are abundant and rain has taken a short break, for the most part. As we get further into Saturday, rain and wind will both pick up.
Clouds will hang tough all day, but the changes will be an uptick in the rain and wind. Wind speeds will run in the 10-25 mph range with gusts to 45 mph widespread. Gusts may reach 50 mph in some locations. The National Weather Service has issued a WIND ADVISORY and will keep in in effect from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Strong crosswinds will make driving difficult on west-east oriented highways, especially for high profile vehicles. Also, power lines may suffer damage and could lead to power outages. Rain will pick up in coverage and intensity as the cold front portion of the storm nears. Widespread rain is expected from the early afternoon through this evening. Rain will wind down late this evening for the I-75 corridor and early tomorrow morning for eastern counties. Afterwards, temperatures will plummet to below freezing. Some wintry mix could be caught on the tail end of the moisture, but it will not be much, and accumulation is not expected. We Will remain below freezing for over 48 hours starting around midnight tonight and lasting through Tuesday morning. Bundle up if spending a lot of time outside the next few days. Rain takes a break until we reach the end of the week as temperatures begin to climb.
