Showers and storms today...

Some pretty mean storms moved up from South Carolina into portions of North Carolina last evening. Numerous severe thunderstorm warnings were issues, and a tornado warning was required for parts of York, Gaston, and Mecklenburg counties.

A good number of folks are still without power as of this typing....over 7k in both Gaston and Meck counties...over 8k in York. Lots of reports of tree damage as well.

Today, we are in a soupy airmass, and we will have disturbances trigger showers and storms at times. It will not rain all day, but we are fair game to see a shower or storm at any point today into tonight. Highs today will be held down...probably low 80s at most for the I 85 corridor.

The storm system will simply fall apart as the Memorial Day weekend unfolds. So, a few storms are possible tomorrow, but I then think many spots will be dry through Sunday and Monday. The heat will build with lower 90s again by Memorial Day.

It still looks hot Tuesday and Wednesday with highs likely well up into the 90s....but then we get into a northwest flow aloft for the second half of the week, meaning the heat will back down and some storms are possible.

Read more...

More warmth today....showers and storms tomorrow...

It was another pretty hot day across the region Wednesday, and again, the hottest temps were in the Sandhills and Coastal parts of the region.

Some select high temps...

Erwin: 99
Lumberton: 98
Fayetteville: 98
Laurinburg: 98
Wilmington: 97
Ft. Bragg: 97

Highs today will again warm into the low to mid 90s in many spots...maybe just shy of that in the Triad region.

It was indeed a big severe weather outbreak yesterday in the Ohio and Mississippi Valley areas. Here is the storm report map.
That system continues to crawl our way, weakening as it does so. Some storms are possible this afternoon in the mountains and western Upstate, but for the NC Piedmont, the chance of showers and storms should mainly arrive this evening and tonight with the bulk of the activity taking place tomorrow.

A few severe storms are possible with this system, but it will not be the same animal it was earlier in the week.

For the Memorial Day weekend, a few storms can't be ruled out Saturday and Sunday, but most spots will likely be dry. Highs by Sunday and Monday will return to the upper 80s and lower 90s.

I still expect some pretty hot weather through mid-week next week, but there are indications that the big ridge might shift to the western US by the end of the week, meaning a northwest flow here.

Read more...

Storm system crawling our way...

First of all, some impressively-hot high temps in eastern parts of the region yesterday, including...

Fayetteville: 98
Lumberton: 98
Wilmington: 97
Erwin: 97
Laurinburg: 97
Manteo: 92

Also, there were some pretty mean storms in northern NC and southern VA, and numerous severe weather warnings were required.

At the same time, another huge severe weather outbreak was unfolding in the Plains, and that continued overnight. Unfortunately, it was another deadly tornado day and night.

Today, the big severe weather threat is in the Mississippi Valley region....and again, some strong tornadoes could be involved.

For our region, while a few isolated storms are possible, I expect most spots to remain dry with highs in the low to mid 90s...maybe some upper 90s again in eastern NC.

Our best shot at showers and storms will come Friday as that system, albeit in a weakened state, moves in.

A few storms could linger Saturday, but then I expect mostly dry weather Sunday and Monday with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s.

It still looks like the heat will really crank for a while next week in much of the central and eastern US.

Read more...