Mostly dry Friday forecast, but lingering shower possible after sunset
Looking ahead, Friday has the potential to be even hotter, with forecasts reaching 90 degrees.
We'll be chasing another record, this time for the highest temperature in early May, currently set at 93 degrees back in 1959.
Friday, looks to be mostly dry with a high of 90 degrees.
There's a slight chance of a stray storm reaching our western counties, but overall, Friday should be a dry day.
There is a 20% chance of a lingering storm after sunset Friday.
- Friday: Partly cloudy skies. High of 91.
- Saturday: Isolated showers and storms possible. Highs in the low 80s.
- Sunday: Cloudy with 50% chance for showers. High 81.
Weekend brings storms, slight cooldown
The weekend rain may not be a complete drought-buster.
Saturday's rain is expected to be light, with accumulations of a quarter inch or less.
However, Sunday offers a better chance of rain with a passing storm system. The rain will likely be scattered, so we're forecasting a 50% chance for Sunday.
"We will see afternoon and evening storms each day," said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. "Mainly what we will see is afternoon and evening rain and storms. There is a chance of rain in the morning both days."
After temperatures in the 90s on Thursday and Friday, the weekend will be slightly cooler. Saturday has a high of 82 degrees, and Sunday's high is only 80 degrees.
With all this warm weather, the flowers and trees are blooming – meaning pollen counts are high. If you're sneezing, spring allergies could be to blame.
As of April 29, rainfall stats for our area are down from normal levels. RDU is in a 2.29" deficit for April while Fayetteville is in a deficit of a little over an inch.
Weather next week
While the weekend brings some relief, the heat is set to return by Wednesday and Thursday of next week, with a couple of potential 90-degree days back on the horizon.
So, enjoy the (slightly) cooler temperatures and the chance of rain this weekend, because the summer heat is just around the corner.
7-day forecast for central NC
- Friday: Partly cloudy skies. High of 91.
- Saturday: Isolated showers and storms possible. Highs in the low 80s.
- Sunday: 40% chance for rain and storms. Highs in the low 80s.
- Monday: Partly cloudy skies and hotter. Highs in the low 80s.
- Tuesday: Small chances for showers in the afternoon and evening. High of 87.
- Wednesday: Partly cloudy skies with a chance for showers and storm. Potentially the hottest day of the year with highs in the low 90s.
- Thursday: Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High near 90.
Prepare for a busy 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will see 15 to 20 named storms in the Atlantic basin, according to researchers at North Carolina State University.
The number of named storms is significantly higher than the long-term average and moderately higher than recent 30-year averages, according to Lian Xie, professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences at NC State.
In 2024, NC State researchers predict:
- 15-20 named storms
- 10 to 12 may grow strong enough to become hurricanes (the historical average is six)
- Three to four becoming major hurricanes
Meanwhile, forecasters at Colorado State University are calling for 24 named storms in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. That is higher than the average year, when 14 storms earn a name.
CSU forecasters say 11 storms will reach hurricane strength, up from the average of seven, and five of those hurricanes could be "major," that is Category 3, 4 or 5, with winds over 111 mph.
