Current Cooldown Will Be Brief...

Today's high (69) occurred at midnight with the DAYLIGHT high staying in the 50s with lingering cloud cover.  Often fronts during the Winter are not "clean" with SW Upper winds overrunning the colder air at the surface creating a lingering cloud cover.  Those clouds keep highs colder due to limited sunlight, but keep night time lows not so cold acting like a blanket.  Today's front is a perfect example.

The core of the current cold is already to our north and east with a warm up already coming out of the plains. Denver soared back into the 60s indicating we'll see a quick rebound once we can get some sunshine back here. 

Saturday should be 60-65, Sunday 70-75 with Monday 75-80, but don't get use to it.  A stronger blast of Arctic air arrives Monday with highs Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday struggling to get out of the 40s for HIGHS!   It appears a Gulf low will form late Wednesday into Thursday and that will keep clouds around and perhaps not allowing freezing temperatures to reach the North Shore as earlier feared .  Remember yesterday I showed you the computer numerical guidance that had Slidell (ASD) dipping to 26 Wednesday morning and Kenner (MSY) 34.  Today's numbers are up with Slidell now 31 and Kenner 36.  That's why I said yesterday's numbers were a worse case scenario.   Lingering clouds and local water temps still in the 60s I make it very difficult for temps to get below freezing next week.

Doesn't mean it can't happen, but it's highly unlikely it will happen.  I'll still use this weekend's warm spell to get my yard prepared for future winter chills.  We all know it's just a matter of time.  Stay tuned!