Synopsis:
A potent cold front will move toward the East coast today. At the same time a storm will develop over Eastern North Carolina and intensify rapidly as it move up and just off the coast. Rain will eventually change to snow later this morning and afternoon from West to East as the front passes and the storm gets to our latitude. There could be one or two hours of heavy snow over Western areas that will cause dangerous travel and rapidly accumulating snow for those regions. A flash freeze is expected with temperatures plummeting into the 20s this afternoon (maps above). Please stay off the roads if possible. It will become treacherous.
Very strong winds will develop in the wake of the storm this afternoon into Sunday morning. Gusts over 50mph are likely.
Tonight we Spring Ahead. Don’t forget to move your clock ahead one hour. Eastern Standard Time ends at 2am and Daylight Saving Time resumes. It’s also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Sunday will be bright, windy and cold readings will at least ten degrees below the average high of 48º. Yes, it’s still Winter. But, lets look on the bright side; we will gain an hour of daylight during the evening!
It’ll be a better feel for the beginning of the week with bright, mild conditions making a visit as high pressure slips off the Southeast coast.
Spring officially arrives on March 20th and it couldn’t come any sooner.
Stay tuned.
Keep it here for a no hype, no nonsense forecast.
Saturday:
Rain changing to snow inland from West to East during the morning and early afternoon. Readings will plummet into the 20s this afternoon. Becoming windy. Northwest winds increasing to 15-30mph with gusts to 50mph later today.
Tonight:
Clear, windy and very cold. Lows around 20º in the City, the upper teens inland. Windchills in the single digits. West to Northwest winds at 15-30mph with gusts to 50mph.
Sunday:
Partly sunny, windy and cold. Highs in the mid 30s.
Monday:
Mostly sunny. Milder. Highs in the mid 50s.
Tuesday:
Partly sunny. Mild. Highs around 60º.
Wednesday:
Partly sunny. Mild. Highs in the mid to upper 50s.