Raleigh woke up under a gray blanket this morning, with light drizzle and patchy fog clinging to the city. At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, visibility is sitting near a mile and temperatures are hovering around 48°F. That mix of damp pavement and low clouds is enough to slow the morning drive, especially on bridges and outer roads where the mist hangs on. The fog should thin later this morning as mid-level clouds move in, although a few stray light showers may still clip the Triangle into the early afternoon.
Midday Rain Chance
There is about a 50% chance of light rain before 2 p.m., with most spots only picking up a few hundredths of an inch. New rainfall amounts are expected to stay under a tenth of an inch. Northeast winds will be light, so pockets of drizzle and low clouds could hang around through the lunch hour in low-lying neighborhoods, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh.
Weekend Warm-Up
The payoff comes this weekend with a quick rebound: highs near 65°F on Saturday and up to about 72°F on Sunday as sunshine returns. That is roughly 10 to 15 degrees above normal for this time of year, making Saturday afternoon and Sunday the prime windows for outdoor plans. For more on the pattern behind the shift, see how Raleigh faces midweek winds and late week soaker.
Early-Week Uncertainty
Temperatures fall sharply behind a backdoor front Monday, and there is a low-confidence chance of mixed precipitation from Monday into Tuesday morning. Sleet, freezing rain or cold rain are all on the table depending on how much warm air arrives aloft. Forecasts currently show modest liquid amounts but poor agreement on what type of precipitation sets up near sunrise, so travel impacts are a low-probability but plausible outcome. Watch for updates as the system evolves, per the National Weather Service in Raleigh.
What This Means For You
On the roads today, build in extra time, use low beams in the fog and give delivery trucks and other drivers more room on wet lanes. No watches or warnings are in effect right now, and minor wet-road issues are the main concern. We will post updates if that changes - see how Raleigh wakes up freezing for background. If you have weekend plans, Saturday afternoon still looks like the sweet spot and Sunday will be the warmest day.
