Warmer air coming but extended forecast hints at chillier-than-normal temps

The warm air comes with a high pressure system that will crowd out the low pressure battering the East Coast this week with its third nor'easter in the last couple weeks. But it won't bring much relief today.

"We'll see that disturbance swinging eastward and off the coast, and high pressure builds in and starts to warm us up tomorrow, not today," said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. "Today is going to be chilly."

Wednesday's high temperature will climb to around 47 degrees but drop back down to 28 overnight and into early Thursday morning. That chill could last for a while, too: Gardner said the extended forecast hints at below-normal temperatures continuing through the end of March.

"From (March 21 through March 27), it still looks like we have a good chance of below-normal temperatures," Gardner said. "Looking at (computer models) last week, it looked like there was a warmer air mass that was back to our west that might start to edge in toward the end of the month.

"Well, the latest view of the computer models from the Climate Prediction Center (is) saying, 'Eh. Not so fast.'"

Normal temperatures for this time of year are around 63 degrees. Thursday and Friday will break into the low 60s, but the mercury will sit in the mid- to high-50s over the weekend and will come with a chance of showers.

"Saturday and Sunday look a little wet," Gardner said. "I don't think either day is going to be a washout, but there will be just some patchy showers both days."