More rain and high winds headed for NC this week. Here’s what to expect (and when)
Another major low-pressure system — the fourth in a month — is expected to bring strong winds and widespread, though not heavy, rain to North Carolina this weekend.
The storm also carries the chance for thunderstorms and even tornadoes over much of central and Eastern North Carolina.
Barring severe localized events, the National Weather Service says this storm will bring much less rainfall than the system that moved through the state on Tuesday, but winds could be enough to bring down tree limbs and power lines.
When will the storm hit?
The low is expected to move out of the Mississippi Valley on its way north-northeast Friday into Saturday.
In Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, there’s a slight chance of showers Friday morning before rain from the front settles in around 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Showers are expected until around midnight or possibly until 2 a.m. Saturday.
Rainfall totals for the Triangle area through Friday night are expected to total less than a quarter-inch, the National Weather Service said Thursday morning. From the southern Piedmont to the Sandhills, rainfall totals could be higher, up to a half-inch.
Winds will increase through the day, from about 11 mph in the morning to a range of 20-30 mph late Friday afternoon through Friday night. Gusts could be as high as 45 mph from late afternoon through Friday night.
Temperatures will reach into the mid-60s on Friday before falling to the upper 30s Friday night.
Saturday should be sunny but wind gusts of 25 mph to 35 mph could persist through the day before diminishing around sunset, forecasters said Thursday. High temperatures Saturday will likely be in the mid-50s.
When is the severe-weather risk?
The greatest chance for thunderstorms around Raleigh is Friday night into early Saturday morning — 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., forecasters say.
How will this compare to Tuesday’s storm?
The low-pressure system that hit North Carolina Tuesday challenged some records for the date, which Friday’s system is unlikely to do. Winds will be significant, however.
How much wind and rain came with Tuesday’s storm?
The Weather Service reports that Raleigh received more than 1.5 inches of rain on Tuesday. In the mountains, some areas received more than 3 inches of rain.
The highest sustained winds in Raleigh were 51 mph, meteorologists said, and the highest gust was 69 mph.
Tuesday’s storm spawned a tornado that hit a residential area in Catawba County, northwest of Charlotte, killing one person and injuring several others. Two more tornadoes have been confirmed on Harkers Island in Carteret County, though no injuries were reported from either. One had estimated winds of 100 mph; the other, 85 mph.
