Weather Briefing for Thursday, July 15, 2021

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A broad trough approaching from the west will slowly breakdown the Bermuda high this weekend, supporting a gradual increase in coverage of afternoon to evening convection. The trough and an associated cold front may push through the region Monday, leading to at least briefly cooler and drier conditions by Tuesday.

— END SPONSOR SEGMENT—

Macon County Board of Commissioners, July 2021

Supporting documents can be found at [MaconMedia.com]

Franklin Town Council – July 2021

Supporting documents posted online at [MaconMedia.com]

2021 Fireworks Display in Franklin, NC [LINK]

National Weather Map for Today

General forecast through Saturday Night

Franklin area

Today

A slight chance of showers between noon and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Light winds out of the northwest. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and 11pm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 60s. 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 showers and thunderstorms likely after 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 2pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%.

Saturday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Chance of rain is 60%.

Highlands Plateau

Today

A slight chance of showers after noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s. Winds out of the west 3 to 7 mph. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and 11pm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows around 60. Calm winds after 6pm increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph after midnight. 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 showers and thunderstorms likely after 11am. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with lows in the lower 60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Highs in the mid-70s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 80%.

Saturday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 60. Chance of rain is 60%.

Otto area

Today

A slight chance of showers between noon and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid-80s. Light winds out of the northwest. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and 11pm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. 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 showers and thunderstorms likely after 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs near 85. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday

A chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 11am. Partly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 80s. Calm winds becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%.

Saturday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Chance of rain is 60%.

Nantahala area

Today

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Partly sunny, with highs near 80. Light winds out of the northwest. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A 20 percent chance of showers before 9pm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds.

Friday

A slight chance of showers between 9am and 11am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs near 80. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Highs in the upper 70s. Light winds out of the southwest. Chance of rain is 80%.

Saturday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11pm and 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Chance of rain is 60%.

Hazardous Weather is not anticipated today. The impacts of the remnants of Tropical Storm ELSA will be mainly to our south and east.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK

Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Thu Jul 15 2021

For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. Shower activity associated with a non-tropical area of low pressure, located several hundred miles south-southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, has increased a little since yesterday. However, environmental conditions are only marginally conducive, and little additional development is expected while the low moves little over the next day or so. On Friday, the low is expected to accelerate northeastward and open up into a trough of low pressure to the south of Atlantic Canada. Additional information on this system can be found in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent.

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 upper range of green.

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

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (2.6 out of 12) today with Grasses and Plantain being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (2.8 out of 12).

Weather Extremes for Macon County on July 15th

Highest Temperature 95°F in Franklin in 1954
Lowest Temperature 40°F in Highlands in 1903
Greatest Rainfall 5.55 inches in Franklin in 1872
Greatest Snowfall (No snowfall recorded on this date since records started being kept in 1872)