Fusion Forecasting

Sláinte  for your parade
IRISH-LIKE STORMINESS IN THE WEST
WARM AND SHOWERY IN THE MIDDLE
FOG THEN SUN IN THE MID-ATLANTIC 

Image credit: Detroit Free Press

8:30 AM EDT 3/16/12  On this commemoration of Ireland's Patron Saint, we hope you and your family will show your Irish colors and be granted good weather for your local parade. Scroll below for our roundup of featured events & forecasts around the country. For the U.S. weather outlook, the image below is a NOAA computer model projection for Noon EDT today. Green areas shown are where luck will deliver light to moderate rain, but not where it's needed in the states under Red Flag Warnings. 

Much of the Eastern U.S. will escape rain on their parades thanks to persistent High Pressure along the coast, producing some AM fog before events get underway. Featured festivities include:

• Baltimore St. Patrick Parade and 5K Shamrock Run, which expects sunshine and slight southeast winds with temperatures running above 70 F by the 2 PM parade.
• Pittsburgh's St. Patrick's Day Parade, as covered by Forecaster Greg Jackson of our Three Rivers Zone, should see the fog burning off by noon with sunny skies to follow and temperatures near 75 F

The Southeast  may see scattered showers or an isolated thunderstorm by mid-day, but not enough to washout celebrations. Featured events:   

• Mal's St. Paddy's Parade in downtown Jackson covered by Meteorologist  Shundra in our Central Mississippi zone
• Savannah, GA festivities today are forecasted by our Southern Georgia zone led by Meteorologist Brandon McKenzie.

The Western States will face the toughest time weather-wise for parades, managing impacts of the coastal system working into the northern Rockies, with heavy rain and snow trailing back to central California. In Salt Lake City, this year's theme of "St. Patrick, Bless The American Worker" will fight back against rainy skies and flood the downtown with a wearing of the green like you've never seen!

St. Patrick's Day Forecasters: Meteorologists Randy Thompson, Brandon McKenzie, Shundra Stewart, Daniel Ross and Forecaster Greg Jackson. Forecaster Foot - Editor