Turning up the heat to end March

The South is in for a couple of very nice days Wednesday and Thursday. Skies should be sunny over the eastern half with a mix of clouds and sun over the western half both days. Temperatures will be warm from eastern Texas to the Carolinas and Florida and hot over western Texas and western Oklahoma.

Afternoon highs today should be in the upper 60s in the mountains and along the middle and eastern Gulf coast and in the 70s to near 80 elsewhere east of the Mississippi River. West of the river afternoon readings should climb into the upper 70s to middle 80s through central Oklahoma and central Texas and in the upper 80s to middle 90s over western Texas and western Oklahoma.

On Thursday high temperatures should be a few degrees warmer east and a few degrees cooler west. Afternoon readings should be in the lower to middle 80s throughout the Southeast and Florida and in the upper 70s to lower 80s everywhere else, except western Texas and western Oklahoma where it should be in the middle 80s to near 90.