Charlotte gets one more summer-like day Friday before the forecast takes a sharp turn. Skies will stay sunny, temperatures will climb to about 89 degrees, and a soggy weekend could bring thunderstorms and localized flooding concerns.
Early Friday conditions are mild and muggy near 63 degrees, with humidity running high and light winds. The air will warm quickly through the morning, reaching the mid-80s by early afternoon before peaking near 89 degrees under mostly sunny skies.
Sunny Friday Gives Way To Weekend Storms
Southwest winds will remain light, generally between 2 and 8 mph, while Friday night turns partly cloudy with a low around 69 degrees. The National Weather Service expects only a minimal rain chance Friday, although an isolated shower or thunderstorm could develop near the mountains later in the evening.
Saturday is the bigger weather story for the Charlotte area. The National Weather Service now forecasts a chance of showers and thunderstorms, with showers becoming likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5 p.m. The high is expected to reach about 83 degrees, with a 60% chance of precipitation and new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter-inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. The updated Charlotte forecast puts the greater likelihood of showers late in the day.
Rain chances rise to 90% Saturday night, followed by another wet and cloudy day Sunday with an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms. The weather service has flagged the potential for localized flooding over the weekend, though rainfall amounts remain uncertain and no watches, warnings or advisories are currently listed.
The weekend rain threat is elevated, but the amount remains difficult to pin down. The National Weather Service’s Greenville-Spartanburg office says a marginal risk of excessive rain is in place Saturday and Sunday, with mixed forecast signals keeping confidence low; the timing of a front and how much moisture reaches the region are key uncertainties. That outlook points to a possibility of localized flooding, not a guarantee of widespread flooding. The latest forecast discussion outlines those uncertainties.
Check Local Flood Risk
Residents can use the interactive map from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services to review a property's flood risk and ways to reduce it. The service also provides a Flood Information and Notification System with current rainfall and creek-level data.
Flood exposure is not limited to properties inside mapped floodplains: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services says flooding can occur outside designated flood zones, too. The county has nearly 20,000 acres of regulated floodplain, and more than 20,000 parcels touch or intersect it. Local monitoring also extends beyond the interactive map: the city’s Flood Information and Notification System draws on 71 rain gauges and 52 stream gauges across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, with some gauges set to alert emergency responders.
Cooler, Drier Air Arrives Next Week
Monday should bring some improvement, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 76 degrees. Tuesday is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high near 67 degrees, followed by lows near 47 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The National Weather Service forecast no longer includes Monday’s slight shower chance before 2 p.m.
Wednesday should stay sunny with a high near 67, while Thursday warms back into the low 70s. For now, Friday is the best bet for outdoor plans, while weekend events should account for repeated rounds of rain, thunderstorms and potentially water-covered roads.
