Charlotte woke up warm and a little feisty Friday morning, with mostly clear skies and temperatures near 66°F at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. A cold front is sliding through this morning, set to spark scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms mainly between about 7 a.m. and noon today. After that early pulse of rain moves out, skies should turn partly sunny this afternoon. Highs are expected to climb into the upper 70s, with west-southwest winds around 8 to 14 mph and gusts reaching about 28 mph during peak heating.
Afternoon Heat and Howling Wind
The National Weather Service is calling for roughly a 50% chance of rain and isolated thunderstorms during the morning-to-midday window. After that, plan on a warm, breezy afternoon where a few neighborhoods could make a run at record highs. Those gusty conditions this afternoon could knock over unsecured light objects and make driving tricky for high-profile vehicles. For the full technical forecast and discussion, see the National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg.
Morning Commute
If you are out early, leave extra time on the clock. Brief downpours and higher gusts between about 7 a.m. and noon can create slick roads and reduced visibility, especially on bridges and overpasses. If you have morning outdoor plans, grab a rain jacket and secure patio furniture or loose yard items before the breeze ramps up. For context on how this lines up with our earlier outlook, see our last Friday forecast in this sun-before-soaker setup.
Weekend and a Brief Return of Winter
Rain chances return tonight into Saturday, with Saturday highs near 64°F and generally light totals expected across the Piedmont. A stronger cold front arrives Sunday into Monday, bringing a sharp cooldown and gusty northwest winds. Higher elevations in the mountains (Avery and Swain counties) could see accumulating snow Sunday night into Monday while Charlotte stays chilly with rain. Highs should fall into the 40s on Monday with much colder nights to follow, so keep an eye on the forecast if you are planning travel into the mountains this weekend.
