The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued its latest forecast, which promises a shift from the serene skies we've been experiencing to a more temperamental pattern as we head towards the weekend. For those of us in central North Carolina, it's a good time to enjoy the calm before the forecasted storm. Today's weather boasts a sunny high near 87 degrees, with some widespread haze in the afternoon hours, and a gentle southern breeze coming into play.
The clear skies won't last long, however, with tonight's forecast suggesting the haze will clear before 8 pm, making way for a low around 60 degrees. But it's the latter half of the week that seems to be gearing up for some meteorological disruption. As we wade into Wednesday, a mostly sunny climate persists, before giving way to a "slight chance of rain after 2 am" Wednesday night, the National Weather Service outlook notes. With southeast winds whispering at 5 to 8 mph, the service expects a 20% chance of precipitation.
Rolling into Thursday, the chance of rain hangs in the air before 8 am and showers might sneak in after 8 am, maintaining the 20% chance of precipitation. But, the momentary drizzles are merely a prelude to the weekend's dramatics. By Saturday, we are staring down a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm. Those same odds continue into Sunday, meaning outdoor plans should be accompanied by a well-crafted backup. "A moist and unstable airmass" is cited as the reason for this unpredictability, heralding potential scattered storms that could, and in some cases indeed become, severe with "isolated heavy rainfall," according to the Hazardous Weather Outlook released by NWS Raleigh NC.
Looking further ahead, showers and possibly a thunderstorm are likely on Monday, with a solid 60% chance of rain to start the week.
