Charlotte woke to clear skies and a brisk 37°F at 5:40 a.m. ET on Friday, March 13, 2026. Sunshine sticks around through the day with a high near 61°F, while south winds of 2 to 14 mph are expected to turn noticeably gusty by afternoon with peaks around 28 mph. Tonight should stay mostly clear with a low near 44°F.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
South winds will strengthen after daybreak and become gusty by the afternoon, which could make high-profile vehicles feel unsettled and send unsecured patio furniture wandering. Expect sustained speeds in the single digits to mid-teens with gusts up to about 28 mph. This wind trend shows up clearly in the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg.
How This Week Shifted
Near-record warmth earlier this week put Charlotte in the spotlight on Wednesday, but conditions trend drier through Saturday as high pressure slides east. For context, see our earlier coverage of near-record warmth earlier this week. That warm spike gives way to a stronger cold front that arrives Sunday into Monday.
Storms Sunday Into Monday
Showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of a potent cold front on Sunday, with the front moving across the region on Monday and the best risk for stronger storms across the eastern Piedmont. Gusty southeast winds will pick up ahead of the front Sunday, with peak gusts and the strongest winds expected Monday, and a Wind Advisory could be needed for portions of the North Carolina mountains Monday into Monday night. A brief period of northwest-flow snow is possible along the NC and TN border Monday afternoon into Monday night, though any accumulations are expected to be light, and forecasters lay out these impacts in the National Weather Service discussion.
Plan Ahead
Saturday should be warmer and mostly sunny with a high near 71°F, while Sunday tops out near 73°F with rain chances increasing after mid-morning. Monday will be noticeably cooler with showers and thunderstorms possible during the day. If you have outdoor plans this weekend, secure loose items before the gusty periods and check forecasts before heading out Sunday into Monday. Gardeners should cover sensitive plants, since nights could fall to near or below freezing Monday night into Wednesday in some spots.
