Warm & stormy workweek finale

May’s first full workweek was off to a wonderful start, but the heat, humidity, and rain chances make a strong return as we inch closer to the weekend. A robust storm system saunters into the Carolinas from the west by Friday morning, sharply raising rain chances as we head into Thursday evening. A Level 2 (out of 5) risk for severe weather has been posted for the western Carolinas for our penultimate day of the workweek, with significant hail and gusty winds being the main threats. The best chance for rain – and severe weather – for the WCCB Charlotte viewing area lies after sunset on Thursday. While the tornado threat remains low, a quick spin-up can’t be ruled out as a cold front slices through the Carolinas overnight into Friday morning.

While rain chances fall into Friday as the incoming cold front sweeps most of the moisture to our south and east, mostly cloudy skies and a few showers and storms linger through our final day of the workweek. Despite the grayer skies, highs should hang around 80º in the Piedmont and Foothills through Friday afternoon. Cooler air will take hold of our area by Saturday as northeasterly winds pool into the Carolinas; highs will struggle to clear the 50s and 60s across the board for our Mother’s Day weekend. The southern side of the system that brings us rain Thursday and Friday will likely stall just to our south by the start of the weekend before slowly lifting northward – this should keep the bulk of the rain well south of the WCCB Charlotte viewing area this weekend, but shower and storm chances may steadily rise into Mother’s Day Sunday and beyond.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Stray shower? Low: 58º. Wind: Light.

Thursday: Scattered PM storms. A few storms may be severe. High: 82°. Wind: SW 5-10.

Thursday Night: Scattered storms. A few storms may be severe. Low: 61°. Wind: Light.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with isolated storms. High: 80°. Wind: NW 5-10.