Cooler stretch continues, watching for homegrown tropical trouble

Happy Hump Day! Tuesday marked the first time the Queen City failed to crack 70° on an August day since 2013, and it won’t be much warmer this Wednesday afternoon as highs only squeeze into the lower 70s across the Piedmont and Foothills. The classic “Carolina wedge” setup continues to flex its muscles this afternoon as northeasterly winds, overcast skies, and scattered showers keep temperatures 15-20° below normal. That being said, temperatures should steadily warm into the weekend thanks to drier air and sunnier skies; highs should reach into the 80s around the Metro by Saturday. More classic summer conditions return to the Carolinas by the start of next week.

We’re holding onto the cooler air for now across the WCCB Charlotte viewing area, but the tropics are only heating up. Tropical Storm Dexter continues to swirl away from the U.S. in the open Atlantic; outside of an increased rip current risk along the Outer Banks, Dexter will be a non-factor for the Carolinas. There is, however, a budding area of low pressure located roughly 300 miles southeast of Wilmington that will be worth watching over the coming days. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) gives this fledgling system a 40% chance of becoming a named storm by the end of the weekend. Regardless of development, we’ll want to watch this storm carefully, as some models bring moisture from this disturbance into the Carolinas this weekend into early next week.

Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, mainly in the AM. High: 72°. Wind: NE 5-15.

Tonight: Overcast with a stray shower. Low: 66°. Wind: NE 5-10.

Thursday: Clouds remain. Stray shower? High: 75°. Wind: NE 5-15.

Thursday Night: Variable clouds with a stray shower possible. Low: 68°. Wind: NE 5-10.

Friday: Mostly cloudy early, then some sunshine later in the day. Stray shower? High: 78°. Wind: NE 5-15.