Clouds build, watching for incoming tropical showers

It’s feeling like summer again this Tuesday afternoon as highs have cranked into the mid-80s across the Piedmont and Foothills. Southeasterly surface winds and a shift in the jet stream have cut us off from Canadian wildfire smoke, slowly flushing out this weekend’s haze and improving air quality as we delve deeper into the workweek. The dry times continue through Wednesday afternoon, although temperatures may take a small hit as clouds build into the WCCB Charlotte viewing area from the southeast.

The increasing grayness will be thanks to a budding area of low pressure of the southeastern U.S. coast – the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is watching this area closely for potential tropical development. Currently, the NHC only gives this fledgling system a 10% chance of becoming a tropical storm, but it will bring heavy rain and rip currents to North & South Carolina beaches regardless of development. Recent model trends are tracking this storm more inland, which could bring more widepsread rain to the Charlotte area by Wednesday night, although there is high uncertainty here. Any showers that arrive within this timeframe could be on the heavier side, especially farther to the east, but the moisture largely clears to the northeast by Friday. If the rain comes through for us, highs will struggle to clear the mid-70s on Thursday.

Regardless of what happens on Wednesday and Thursday, summer-like heat returns to the Carolinas by the end of the week as sunny skies re-emerge. Highs may approach 90° around the Metro on Friday and Saturday ahead of a cold front pushing in from the northwest. Scattered thunderstorms may be an issue Saturday afternoon and evening as the front slices through the region. The heat, humidity, and storm chances carry into June’s second week as a classic summertime pattern takes hold of the Southeast.

Tonight: Clouds build. Milder. Low: 66°. Wind: SE 5-10.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Stray shower late? High: 83°. Wind: E 5-15.

Wednesday Night: Isolated showers become more numerous overnight. Low: 68°. Wind: E 5-10.

Thursday: Cloudy. Scattered showers E. High: 77°. Wind: NE 5-15.