Feb. 8, 2010, 11 p.m.
Weak high pressure remained in control of the overall weather pattern on Monday with a very dry air mass in place over the peninsula as well as cool air and plenty of sunshine. After a very chilly morning with lows in the upper 30s and low 40s, afternoon highs struggled to climb into the mid to upper 60s Monday afternoon.
As our weak high pressure drifts into the Atlantic Ocean, winds will veer to a southerly component ahead of our next cold front Tuesday morning, only allowing temperatures to fall into the 40s and 50s. The frontal passage will occur Tuesday with some increase in cloud cover and a chance for showers and perhaps even a rumble of thunder during the afternoon. Highs will once again hover in the mid to upper 60s with cold air moving in behind the front taking temperatures back into the upper 30s and low to mid 40s Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Cold air behind the front will linger behind the front much of the rest of the week and into the weekend. Wednesday's highs will only be in the upper 50s with lows on Thursday near or even below freezing in the low to mid 30s with highs on Thursday in the lower 60s under partly sunny skies.
Our next chance for rain will be on Friday as another southern stream storm system drags a cold front across the peninsula. Look for cloudy skies on Friday with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s and a fairly good chance for some showers and even a thunderstorm with cold and dry air filling in behind the front again on Saturday with sunny skies and highs in the 60s on Saturday and Sunday.
Boating conditions will continue to be elevated and potentially dangerous again early this week with the cold front passage Tuesday and cautionary statements for small craft through at least Wednesday.
It looks like the onshore flow will help to develop some local wind swell with wave heights at 3 feet to 4 feet and fair conditions Tuesday.
Dave Cocchiarella