The slim chance of snow flurries forecasters had whispered for this weekend in central North Carolina is evaporating as a pair of cold fronts approach, one of them bringing air so dry it has prompted fire-hazard warnings .
Here’s what the National Weather Service says is coming.
Thursday: Windy and dry, turning cold
Winds will pick up mid- to late morning Thursday across central North Carolina, forecasters say, with frequent gusts of 25 mph to 35 mph, occasionally up to 40 mph in the Sandhills and Central Coastal Plain.
At the same time, the leading edge of the Arctic front will spill into the region, and once the temperature reaches the low 50s in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill around noon, it will start dropping.
Thursday night’s low will be around 21 degrees , but with sustained winds of 7 to 11 mph and gusts up to 25 mph, the Weather Service says it will feel as cold as 14 degrees overnight.
Is it safe for outdoor burning?
The Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday , saying low humidity and windy conditions bring an elevated fire risk across central North Carolina.