After a stretch of gloomy and cool weather, a significant warm up is expected to develop across the Delmarva Peninsula this weekend and continue into the first half of next week. Forecasters say temperatures could surge well above normal as a much milder air mass spreads into the Mid Atlantic.
The transition begins later this weekend as a ridge of high pressure builds over the western Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, several upper level disturbances will track across the northern United States, helping to set up a pattern that allows warmer air to gradually move northward into the region.
Before the warmer air fully arrives, cooler conditions may linger into Saturday due to a setup known as cold air damming. Strong high pressure over eastern Canada will push cooler air southward into the region, while a boundary remains positioned to the south and west of Delmarva. This could keep skies cloudy with areas of fog and cooler temperatures early in the weekend.
As the weekend progresses, the colder air mass will begin to erode from south to north. This process may lead to a sharp temperature difference across the region on Saturday before warmer air eventually takes over. Some showers may also develop Saturday night as a disturbance passes to the north and a trailing cold front approaches. A stray thunderstorm cannot be ruled out, although widespread severe weather is not expected.
By Sunday, much of the Delmarva region will become firmly established within the warmer air mass as high pressure settles offshore. Winds shifting to the south and southwest will help draw warmer air northward.
Temperatures are expected to climb into the 60s across much of the region Sunday and Monday. Even warmer conditions are likely by the middle of next week, when highs could reach the low to mid 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday. These readings would be 10 to 20 degrees above average for early March.
Communities along the coast may see somewhat cooler temperatures due to developing sea breezes off the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. This could keep coastal locations several degrees cooler than inland areas.
The warm pattern may not last indefinitely, however. Forecast models suggest a cold front could approach the region around Wednesday, bringing another chance of showers and potentially preventing temperatures from reaching the warmest projections.
Even so, the overall trend points toward a dramatic shift from recent chilly conditions to a stretch of springlike warmth across the Delmarva Peninsula during the upcoming week.
