Record highs likely Friday, remaining warm through weekend

Happy Friday! The Queen City fell just short of 80° yesterday, but the heat and humidity hold strong as we roll through the weekend into next week. Expect highs in the upper 70s and mid-to-lower 80s this afternoon across the Piedmont and Foothills, with a stray shower or storm possible later in the day. Charlotte’s record high for March 6th currently stands at 80°; that high-water mark is in serious jeopardy today. While clouds and increasing rain chances may keep the mercury a bit lower this weekend, afternoon temperatures shouldn’t top out below 75° around the Metro. Our best chance for rain comes on Sunday, but we shouldn’t see any washouts over the next 72 hours.

The incoming front bringing the rain will likely stall over the Carolinas before dissipating, which means the heat, humidity, and stray-to-isolated storm chances all stick around into next week. Models are in strong agreement that the warmest air we’ve seen in 2026 so far arrives Tuesday into Wednesday, where another pair of record highs may fall as temperatures rocket into the mid-80s. Our next chance for widespread rain and relief from the heat should come by the end of next week as another expansive cold front flushes out summer and leaves more seasonable conditions in its wake.

Today: Variable clouds with a stray shower/storm. Record highs likely. High: 82°. Wind: SW 5-15.

Tonight: Partly cloudy and very mild. Low: 62°. Wind: S 5-10.

Saturday: Partly-to-mostly cloudy with a stray shower/storm. High: 78°. Wind: SW 5-15. Gusts: 20+

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Even milder. Low: 64°. Wind: SW 5-15.

Sunday: Scattered showers and storms. High: 76°. Wind: SW 5-15. Gusts: 20+