Weather Permitting: Here's how Idalia affected Fayetteville and what's in store for the weekend

Idalia is leaving the Cape Fear region with a pleasant farewell gift: a mild, dry Labor Day weekend.

Sometimes tropical systems pass through the Carolinas, leaving a muggy, mosquito-laden mass of tropical air that lingers for days. Anyone remember the brutal broiling stretch after Fran? How about the chihuahua-sized mosquitoes chasing people around after Florence?

Idalia may have dropped copious rainfall in the southern region, but by way of apology, we'll see mild days and cool evenings into the Labor Day weekend. How does a Saturday morning low in the upper 50s sound? It's possible.

Here's the setup

Idalia arrived a bit further south than projected on Wednesday. The difference of about 30 miles meant Fayetteville picked up 2-3 inches of tropical rain, rather than the 5-7 inches that fell down in Bladen, Robeson and Columbus counties.  Near Tabor City, some spots in South Carolina racked up more than 10 inches of rain.

Now, with Idalia slowly churning offshore, a cool northwest flow is setting up over the region. Temperatures Thursday at lunchtime are a good 25 degrees cooler than the withering heat we had early this week.

High pressure will build in from the north and west, pushing clouds away. There's a next-to-zero expectation for rainfall through the weekend as dew points dive into the mid-50s on Friday.

The weekend

September arrives with a mild, pleasant stretch on Friday. Sunshine and a light northwest wind dominate the forecast, with a high near 80 in Fayetteville. Friday night may actually feel like football weather, with a prep football kickoff temperature of about 73 degrees.

Saturday looks great, as well. Sunshine and mild conditions hold, with a high of about 83 in Fayetteville. Overnight lows in the city should dip to 60, with upper 50s to the north and west.

Sunday will be a bit warmer as the air modifies, but still pleasant for this time of year. Fayetteville will hit 85 or so, with an overnight low in the mid-60s. Overnight winds will ease around to the south as our high-pressure slides off the coast, but there's nothing to indicate rainfall.

Labor Day

Warmer air filters in from the west, pushing the Cape Fear region back into the low 90s. It looks like a great day for outdoor activity, though, with clear skies, dew points still manageable and no rain in sight.

Down the road

There are only three weeks of summer remaining, and it won't be leaving quietly. Temperatures by the middle of next week will be back in the mid-90s for much of the region, and dew points return to the sticky range.

In the tropics

Idalia is offshore, but will likely linger as it waits for a push out to sea. Franklin will continue to churn well offshore.

Odds are you didn't see Jose form overnight, but don't fret. It will continue to head toward oblivion when it and Franklin are swallowed by a frontal boundary over the Atlantic.

There are still some impressive waves sliding off the African coast as we reach the heart of the Cape Verde season. We'll keep watching to see if any of them become an item of interest.

In the meantime, have a great Labor Day weekend!

Got a weather question? Chick Jacobs can be reached at ncweatherhound@gmail.com or NCWeatherhoundon

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville, NC Labor Day weekend forecast