Raleigh is starting off mild and mostly clear this morning, sitting in the low 60s at Raleigh–Durham International Airport, but the dry stretch will not last. Light rain is expected to slide in this morning, with a steadier, more persistent rain late tonight into Sunday that could leave parts of the weekend downright soggy. By Sunday night, temperatures drop into the upper 20s to low 30s in many spots, opening a narrow window for some wet snow in far northeastern counties. Gusty northwest winds then ramp up Sunday evening into Monday and could cause brief travel headaches.
Timing and impacts
Rain should move into the Triangle this morning and ease off by mid to late afternoon in some areas, but the main, more widespread batch holds off until late tonight through Sunday midday. Forecast totals are generally a few tenths of an inch: roughly a tenth to a quarter of an inch today and another quarter to a half inch overnight, with isolated higher amounts possible in the northeastern Piedmont. The National Weather Service is calling for rain before 3 p.m. today and heavier, more widespread rain after midnight, with a tight Sunday evening window for a slushy, wet snow mix in far northeastern towns such as Norlina, Enfield, Scotland Neck, Halifax and Roanoke Rapids.
Winds and the commute
Winds turn northerly and then northwesterly on Sunday, with gusts in many locations expected to reach between 30 and 45 mph Sunday evening into Monday. In more exposed spots, those gusts could briefly flirt with wind advisory criteria. Paired with standing water from overnight rain, those winds raise the odds of slower commutes and isolated street flooding in low-lying areas — see how the city was previously set to get soaked for additional context.
What To Do…