Cold & Dry Close to Workweek, Wet & Wintry Start to Weekend
Sorry, snow-lovers: this will be a mainly rain event for most outside of the mountains.
Our first Thursday of 2024 is off to a chilly start with lows in the 20s and 30s this morning. Expect plentiful sunshine in the Piedmont and Foothills this afternoon as highs top out in the 40s and 50s. The High Country may see a few snow showers this morning thanks to northwesterly flow, but accumulations will be minimal at best; highs will struggle to get above freezing. Another frigid night is on the way as most communities will wake up to the teens and 20s Friday morning. Cold air will continue to pour in from the north as an area of high pressure sweeps across the Mid-Atlantic. Despite the bright skies, highs will only get into the 30s and 40s as we close out the workweek.
The weekend is where things get interesting. A chain of low-pressure systems will develop east of the Rockies today and slide toward the Carolinas over the next 48 hours. The storm will pick up Gulf moisture and bring rain, sleet, and snow to our area by Saturday morning. Unfortunately for Charlotte snow-lovers, our 705-day flake-free streak likely survives this system. That said, sleet and freezing rain are possible with the onset of moisture before sunrise on Saturday. Any wintry precipitation will quickly turn to all rain outside of the mountains by the later morning hours. Accumulations outside of the High Country will be minimal; even our mountain counties will only see an inch or two of sleet and snow accumulation at best.
Today: Sunny and brisk. High: 50°. Wind: N 10-20. Gusts: 25+
Tonight: Clear and cold. Low: 26°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Friday: Sunshine continues. Colder. High: 48°. Wind: E 5-10.
Friday Night: Clouds build. Chilly. Low: 33°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Saturday: Mainly rain with some icy mix early. High: 43°. Wind: N 5-15.
