Drastic shift in Charlotte’s weather could impact Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, NWS says

Charlotte can expect a drastic shift in its weather for Memorial Day weekend, with plummeting temps and rain-drenched skies that could delay or postpone Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, National Weather Service meteorologists said Thursday.

“They might want to consider rescheduling to Monday night,” meteorologist Doug Outlaw of the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina, told The Charlotte Observer.

At Sunday’s 6 p.m. start time of the race, “it will be raining over most of North Carolina,” including the Charlotte region, Outlaw said.

Concord has a 70% chance of showers throughout Sunday, according to the NWS Concord forecast at 10 a,m. Friday.

The heaviest weekend rains are expected to fall Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning across the Charlotte area, Foothills, mountains and elsewhere across the state, according to an NWS hazardous weather alert Friday morning.

The storm could dump 1 to 3 inches across most of the Carolinas and up to 5 inches in the mountains, NWS forecasters said. Flooding could result, according to the NWS alert.

“Gusty winds will also develop, and a few trees may be blown down due to wet soil conditions,” meteorologists warned in the bulletin.

Up to 2 inches of rain could fall in Charlotte, much of it Saturday afternoon through Sunday, meteorologist Harry Gerapetritis of the NWS office in Greer told The Charlotte Observer Thursday.

Better weather Memorial Day

Good news for Memorial Day cook outs: Most of the rain should leave the area by later Monday morning, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 11 a.m. Friday.

Charlotte has a slight 30% chance of rain throughout the day, with mostly cloudy skies and a predicted high of 73, the forecast showed.

Temperature drop, breezy conditions

Expect falling temperatures and breezier conditions this weekend, according to the forecast.

After Friday’s predicted high of 72, Saturday’s could plummet to 56, which would be 23 to 28 degrees below average for May 27, NWS Greer meteorologists said on Twitter.

Winds are predicted to increase, from gusts as high as 24 mph Friday to 30 mph Saturday, NWS forecasters said.

Highs are expected to improve to 64 Sunday, 77 Tuesday, 80 Tuesday, 78 Wednesday and 84 Thursday.

Headed to the beach or mountains?

Rain also is likely in the mountains and at the coast, McClatchy News reported..

Flooding and 40-mph winds are possible in the Wilmington area and rip currents in both southeastern NC and the Outer Banks, according to McClatchy News.