News and Weather Briefing for Thursday, May 27, 2021

OUTLOOK

An upper ridge will breakdown through Friday allowing afternoon to evening isolated convection focused across the mountains. A cold front passage late Friday into early Saturday will support more widespread activity. Surface high pressure to our northeast will support a cool and mainly dry conditions Sunday into early next week.

Burial Funds established for victims of a recent accident

James Sweeten https://gofund.me/80a324bc
Dakota Williamson https://gofund.me/3c8c8047

— END SPONSOR SEGMENT—

Local News Update
(National News is published after the Macon Calendar section)

Flags Lowered Until Sunset on May 30th to Honor Victims of Shooting in San Jose, California by Order of the President and the Governor [LINK]

The Macon County Art Association in Franklin is pleased to announce that the Vet’s Portrait Project will be held this year. This will be our ninth year for this event. Unfortunately the pandemic precluded the project last year but the artists are ready to go for 2021. This year there are spots for 4-7 veterans as we had applications remaining from 2019. Please announce the call for Macon County Veterans or their family members to apply to have the Veteran’s portrait painted by one of our local artists. Vets or their families may apply at the gallery between Memorial Day and July 4th of this year. There is no cost to apply or for the portraits. The only requirement is that the Veteran or their family member be present to receive the portrait on Veterans Day November 11, 2021. Community members who wish to help support the costs for this program are also welcome. Contact the project chair by email at [email protected].

The Macon County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday night and the county manager presented his proposed budget. The next budget meeting will take place at 4pm on June 3rd, where Burningtown and Otto VFDs and the school system will present their budget requests to the board.

Download a PDF of the budget message [PDF]

Weather-related Video

Witnesses from California, Nevada, NOAA testify on drought conditions in Western U.S.

On this day in 2018: A flood occurs throughout the Patapsco Valley causing one death and destroying the entire first floors of buildings on Main Street in Ellicott City and causing cars to overturn. More videos about this flood and the aftermath are in the “On This Day” section at the bottom of this article.

National Weather Map for Today

General forecast through Saturday Night

Franklin area

Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows around 60. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday

A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 50s. Light winds out of the northwest. Chance of rain is 60%.

Saturday

A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly in the midafternoon. Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-70s.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with lows around 50.

Highlands area

Today

Air quality is in the extreme upper range of green for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the lower range of yellow.

Fire and Smoke Map
(There are no significant sources of smoke in the region as of 3am on 04-22-2021.)

Highest Temperature 89°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2012
Lowest Temperature 31°F in Highlands in 1961
Greatest Rainfall 2.88 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1981
Greatest Snowfall (No snowfall recorded on this date since records started being kept in 1872)