Wonderful start to holiday weekend, tracking homegrown tropical development
Most, if not all, of the moisture stays east of the Queen City, but beachgoers could be in for a wet time as we wrap up the holiday weekend.
Happy birthday, America! The holiday weekend is off to a wonderful start as sunny skies and toasty highs stake their claims to the Carolinas while humidity levels take a dive. The re-emergence of more stable, drier air means rain chances bottom out through the first half of your July 4th weekend; the only fireworks tonight will be man-made. Highs will rise into the 90s across the Piedmont and Foothills for a 16th- and 17th-straight day today and Saturday, respectively, although our hot streak may be running out of real estate as some tropical trouble brews in our own backyard.
The National Hurricane Center continues to better the odds of tropical development for a budding area of low pressure off the Carolina coast, now given a 60% chance of becoming Tropical Storm Chantal by the end of the weekend. While the system won’t be much of a windmaker – and most, if not all, of the moisture appears likely to remain east of the Queen City – it could lead to a very wet Saturday night into Sunday for holiday beachgoers. This won’t be a major deal for the WCCB Charlotte viewing area barring a major track shift, but the coastal low may amplify northeasterly winds, bringing cooler air into the western half of the Carolinas on Sunday. Regardless of what happens this weekend, the heat and humidity return in full force next week.
Today: Hot sunshine. Dry. High: 93°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Calm. Low: 72°. Wind: E 5-10.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Remaining hot. High: 93°. Wind: NE 5-15. Gusts: 20+
Saturday Night: Another nice night. Clouds build late. Low: 72°. Wind: E 5-10.
Sunday: Variable clouds with a few storms E. High: 88°. Wind: NE 5-15.
