Well above normal temperatures this week, rain into the weekend

After a cloudy and dreary day with little to no rain, we are expecting a rapid warm up.  A ridge of high pressure is expected to arrive from the west and overtake the area starting Wednesday.  The ridge will be in place for only a couple of days before getting pushed east by a large pocket of cooler air.

Wednesday will be warmer than normal for the last day of April, seeing the mercury rise to the upper 60s and low 70s (normal is 62 in Bend). Mostly sunny skies are expected as well as the ridge will keep the region cloud free for the most part.  Winds will be light under the dome of air as well so it should be a good day to ignite the prescribed burns in the area.

Thursday will be the warmest day of the week with highs near 80 and plenty of sunshine.  The ridge will build well north into Canada, but be short lived.  The winds will also be light and the air dry.  While all this is going on, a deep trough of low pressure will dive along the coast and cool the area significantly.

Friday will be the day of transition as the low drops south of the Beaver State and into the Golden State. This process will take most of the day so I still expect to see temperature readings in Central Oregon to be in the upper 70s.  Once the low takes hold in the region, we will only reach the 50s and low 60s this weekend. 

Friday will also provide some spotty showers late in the day and, although it may be a slim chance, there is a low probability that we may hear the rumble of thunder after 5 or 6 pm.

Saturday the rain will be cold and there may be some very high-level snow. The snow will only accumulate on grassy areas above 5500 feet since the 80-degree day Thursday warmed the ground as well as the air. The rain Saturday will be light but steady so keep the umbrella handy all day. The hint of snow in La Pine or Sisters is also in the forecast, but again, not much confidence in that portion of the forecast since it will above the freezing mark all but a couple of hours.

Sunday will be a day of drying and warming as we start a run of above normal temperatures beginning Monday.

Please stay safe.

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