Rain & Cold Kick Off Workweek, Watching Wintry Setup
Cold air will settle in behind the rain today, which could lead to the arrival of some wintry weather Wednesday.
Sunday brought us our first and only 70º day of December so far, but don’t expect the warmth to return any time soon. Get ready for it to feel like the final month of the year, as rain, cold air, and a potential wintry mess will descend upon the Carolinas. The sluggish system that’s been hanging out just to our west will finally move through the WCCB Charlotte viewing area Monday morning, bringing with it heavy rain and some gusty winds. 1-2″ may fall in some spots, especially north and west of the Charlotte Metro, before noon. Rain may turn to snow at times in the High Country, which may begin to accumulate in communities above 5000′. Flash flooding will be a threat at times as well, but we should largely clear out by the early afternoon.
Here’s where things will start to get interesting. Behind this storm system comes quite a punch of Arctic air. While abundant sunshine will arrive for our Tuesday, temperatures will struggle to get out of the 30s and 40s. A second area of low pressure will arrive overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, which could bring some wintry weather to the Carolinas. If you’re looking for snow in the Piedmont, unfortunately, this likely won’t be the storm for you. A wintry mix of sleet and rain will begin to filter into the area by midnight on Wednesday. The wintry/rain line looks to mainly set up north of I-40, but areas in-between I-40 and I-85 may get in on some frozen precipitation mixing in with a mainly rain event. Those south of I-85 should expect a cold, disappointing rain for now. As temperatures warm into the later morning hours on Wednesday, the rain will take back the mantle as the main precipitation type for most of us outside of the High Country before clearing out by the evening.
Snow in the High Country could total over 1-3″ in some spots. Ice accumulations north of I-40 could reach .25″, which could pose some travel and power hazards for our Wednesday morning. While the Charlotte Metro shouldn’t expect much in terms of accumulation at this moment, do prepare for a slower and more cautious commute for your Hump Day morning.
Monday: AM rain, heavy at times. PM clearing. High: 60°. Wind: N 10-20. Gusts: 30-40.
Monday Night: Clear and cold. Low: 32°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Tuesday: Cool sunshine. High: 50°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Tuesday Night: Clouds build. Rain late. Some sleet may mix in. High: 34°. Wind: NE 5-10.
Wednesday: AM rain with some sleet mixing possible. PM rain tapers off. High: 38°. Wind: NE 5-15.
