The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Central North Carolina. Residents should brace for a significant drop in temperature combined with stiff northwest winds that are expected to bring real-feel temps into the teens and twenties throughout Thursday.
Today, Raleigh faces a 40% chance of rain showers before afternoon, followed by mostly cloudy skies and a high near 55 degrees. However, the fleeting warmth will soon be usurped by colder air; winds continue to come from the southwest at speeds of 6 to 9 mph. Tonight, there is a slight chance of more showers between midnight and 3 am with mostly cloudy conditions persisting, and a low around 29 degrees is anticipated. The southwest winds will shift to the northwest after midnight, maintaining a rate of 6 to 10 mph.
Thursday is set to be much colder and brisk with temperatures struggling to climb above 39 degrees. The humidity will drop, and the northwest wind will whip around 11 mph, with possible gusts ascending to 21 mph—making the cold that much more biting. It will be mostly cloudy at first, but the sun is expected to make an appearance later in the day, according to the NWS forecast.
Following the cold front, Thursday night is expected to be clear but frigid, with temperatures dropping to around 21 degrees and west winds blowing at 3 to 8 mph. These conditions warrant precautions, as “actual highs will be in the 30s for most areas. This combined with NW winds at 15 to 25 mph will create temperatures that feel as if they are in the teens and 20s through the day,” according to the National Weather Service’s Hazardous Weather Outlook. Residents are advised to wear layered clothing and headgear for warmth. Additionally, residents are encouraged to check and protect outdoor pipes and hoses from freezing conditions.
Looking forward to Friday, the zone is set to thaw slightly with sunny skies and a high near 44 forecasted. The light west wind will pick up, becoming southwesterly and possibly gusting up to 18 mph. The weekend will carry on with partly cloudy evenings and mostly sunny days, temperatures hovering in the 30s and 50s, while Monday, Martin Luther King Day promises to be sunny with highs around 43 degrees. The outlook through Tuesday remains sunny, with temperatures consistently in the low 40s during the day and dipping into the 20s at night, as per the NWS forecast.
