Severe Friday, Clear Weekend
Today's storms shouldn't be as bad as they were on Tuesday, but damaging gusty winds, small hail, and a weak tornado are still on the table.
Let’s start out this Friday by sharing some good news: today’s severe threat has diminished slightly, especially for areas north and west of I-85. The bad news: strong storms are still in the forecast as damaging gusty winds, small hail, and a weak tornado or two are squarely within the realm of possibility. Scattered showers begin by the early afternoon as a warm front lifts through the Carolinas; some of these will be heavy as we head later into the day. We’ll need to watch for any rotating thunderstorms, especially south and east of I-85, shortly before sunset. The main threat remains damaging wind gusts approaching 60 mph in the strongest cells. Flooding won’t be as much of an issue as it was on Tuesday, but the pre-soaked ground from all of the rain earlier this week will exacerbate any problems. Any lingering showers or storms will clear out well before midnight.
The weekend ahead looks cold and dry as highs struggle to get out of the 30s and 40s. The chilly pattern carries well into the third week of the year. Snow-lovers will want to keep a close eye on Tuesday; while significant Piedmont totals appear unlikely for now, the second day of the workweek may start as a wet wintry mix before transitioning to all rain by the afternoon. The rest of the week beyond remains cold – especially on Wednesday, as lows may dip into the teens and single digits.
Today: PM showers and storms. Some may be severe. High: 60°. Wind: SE 15-25. Gusts: 30+
Tonight: Storms early, then clearing. Low: 36°. Wind: SW 20-30. Gusts: 40+
Saturday: Chilly sunshine. Brisk and breezy with mountain snow. High: 50°. Wind: SW 10-20. Gusts: 25+
Saturday Night: Clear and cold. Low: 32°. Wind: SW 5-15.
Sunday: Sunshine continues. A bit warmer. High: 52°. Wind: SW 10-20. Gusts: 25+
