Comfortable Evening with a Warming Trend Moving In

Bright sunny skies heading into 2026
Janessa Webb,

 

 

As we roll into New Year’s Eve, temperatures will fall off pretty quickly after sunset. Temperatures will slide through the evening and settle near 40 degrees by the time we’re counting down to midnight so if you’re heading out, you’ll definitely want a jacket.  Winds will continue to be an issue for the High Country with Wind Advisories in place starting at 9pm until noon Thursday.
We start New Year’s Day on the chilly side, with morning lows dropping into the mid-30s. but don’t let that scare you as sunshine takes over fast. By the afternoon, temperatures rebound nicely to around 60 degrees, which is  about eight degrees warmer than normal for early January. Winds stay light, with just a passing breeze at times, and the dry air makes it feel refreshing rather than cold. Weather wise it’s a pretty great way to kick off 2026!

Friday keeps that dry stretch going, but you’ll notice clouds increasing as the day goes on. By the afternoon, skies turn mostly cloudy, with temperatures still climbing about five degrees above normal. Winds will be lighter than earlier in the week, making it a solid day for travel and outdoor plans.

Late Friday night is when things begin to change. There’s a chance for some mist or drizzle as light rain starts pushing in overnight. Those clouds will help keep temperatures milder than normal especially for anyone heading out to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Rain arrives late Friday night and will carry into Saturday.

Heading into Saturday, a storm system will stay close enough to bring periods of light rain. The heavier rain looks more likely south and west of Charlotte, but the metro area still has a decent chance of seeing measurable rainfall. At this point rain could hang around for at least part of the day and possibly linger into the evening before finally tapering off.