The weather is going through a well-timed break in the stormy pattern just in time for the holiday weekend. A ridge of high pressure will build in Friday allowing most of the clouds to clear out (we might see a few pop up in the afternoon), and the high temperatures should warm up to the mid-60s. Saturday will bring even more heat, with highs reaching the mid-70s under sunny skies. Then it all turns around Sunday, as a strong cold front drops in, kicking up some very strong Sunday winds and bringing a good chance of rain, although the winds will cause a fair bit of rain shadowing. A cold and unsettled pattern settles in the first half of next week, with a slight chance of rain or snow showers all the way to the valley floor.

As always it is that time of year for reminders. Sunday morning (2 am for those of you keeping score at home) Daylight Saving ends, so remember to set your flocks back an hour (fall “back.”)

It is also a great time to go and change all the batteries in your smoke detectors. Don’t wait until they start chirping one at a time.