Much needed rain arrives Friday afternoon

Nicole Madden,

AM Headlines:
  • Air Quality Warning for Burke Co
  • Breezy and Warm
  • Widespread Rain Later Today
  • Dry and Mild Weekend
  • Spring-Like Next Week
Discussion:
An inversion is trapping smoke from the McDowell County fires closer to the surface leading to a code orange air quality alert for Burke County today. Winds out of the southwest will push the smoke into Burke and Avery counties keeping air quality poor until rain arrives later in the day. Temperatures will warm into the upper 60s to low 70s with gusty southwest winds ahead of the cold front. Widespread rain arrives in the mountains early in the afternoon stretching into the Charlotte metro area by the early evening. A few rumbles of thunder are possible, but severe storms remain unlikely. Rainfall totals will range from .25-.75″ across the area. Air quality improves Saturday with sunny skies and highs in the low 60s. A wedge builds in Sunday keeping highs in the upper 50s under cloudy skies. Temperatures won’t stay down for long. Once the high pressure system moves off the coast, highs will soar into the upper 60s to low to mid 70s for much of the next week.