Clouds Stick Around for Much of Thursday Afternoon

Skies remained cloudy for much of Thursday afternoon holding temperatures in the mid and upper 20s area wide, falling short of the forecast high of 32 degrees. The clouds were a result of an inversion in the atmosphere, where warmer air is located above a cooler air mass near the surface.

Despite a cold front passing early Thursday morning, temperatures aloft were actually warming. The warm and dry air helped trap
moisture near the surface, under what is known as an 'inversion'. During the warmer months, when the sun angle is stronger, an inversion is quick to dissipate because the higher sun angle allows the atmosphere to warm faster, helping mix the atmosphere. As we get further and further into the cooler months the sun angle isn't as strong, so temperatures are not able to warm as quickly - or efficiently. Sometimes moisture becomes trapped under that warm layer, leading to either fog or cloud cover sticking around longer during the day. This can have a major impact on temperatures during the afternoon.

Skies are beginning to clear from west to east Thursday evening as high pressure moves in from the west. Temperatures where the skies have cleared have cooled off already into the teens. Clearing skies and a light wind may lead to fog early Friday morning. With temperatures below freezing, freezing fog could become an issue, so watch for slick spots during the morning.