Raleigh residents, brace yourselves for a straddling of sunshine and showers as Memorial Day weekend unfolds. According to the National Weather Service's latest report, the city will see increasing clouds today with a comfortable high near 78 degrees and light winds shifting south in the afternoon. As the evening creeps in, however, expect showers likely after 1 am, hinting at what's to come for the holiday itself.
For those with outdoor plans on Memorial Day, there's a chance of showers before 2pm with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 71 degrees, so it might not be a washout but keep an umbrella handy. The forecast insists on a northeast wind around 8 mph while the chance of precipitation floats at 30 percent, and though new precipitation amounts are expected to be less than a tenth of an inch, such finicky weather patterns are indicative of the season's transitional heart.
Looking ahead, the week seems to be playing a similar tune, with Tuesday bringing a chance of showers especially after 2 pm, though the high should again reach a pleasant 71 degrees. The evening may lead into unsettled weather as showers could mix with thunderstorms, continuing into the early hours; as Wednesday arrives, residents should be ready for more showers with an 80 percent chance of precipitation and highs edging back near 78.
As we hitch a ride further into the week, the chance of showers persists with mostly cloudy skies expected Wednesday night, but temperatures remaining quite mild; night time lows hover around the 65-degree mark giving no respite to plants already soaked. Thursday's daylight hours might offer some respite, partly sunny with a high near 83 and a managing chance of precipitation at 40 percent however don't put away those rain boots yet because the showers could return before Friday dawns.
The weather continues its unsettled pattern heading into the weekend, with a continued drumbeat of shower chances and partly sunny spells during the day. Highs could push into the mid-80s by Saturday, but thunderstorms might yet again threaten to crash the party, maintaining a consistent chance of precipitation at 30 percent. For a detailed view of Raleigh's changeable weather, you can follow the updates via the National Weather Service's website.
