The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the central North Carolina region, with a forecast that could put a damper on weekend plans. With humidity levels pushing the comfort zone at 87%, and temperatures expected to reach a sweltering 94 degrees today, residents are looking at a mostly sunny heat affair. However, a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms this evening introduces a different story. According to the NWS Raleigh forecast, new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch could grace us, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms, before the night cools to a mild 68 degrees.
Tonight’s storms, breaking the sizzle, have the potential for severe weather. Mainly between the hours of 2 PM and 8 PM, Raleigh residents should brace for damaging wind gusts over 60 mph, with the NWS stating, “There is a Marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe storms this afternoon and evening.” Isolated hail should also not be entirely dismissed. While the sky plays its drama, pockets of heavy rainfall capable of isolated flash flooding pose a real threat to the casual observer, unwary of the lurking deluge.
In a stark contrast, Sunday’s outlook hints at respite with a cooler high around 77 and a lower chance of precipitation at 30%. Yet, residents shouldn’t pack away their umbrellas just yet. The NWS indicates that we could still see less than a tenth of an inch of new precipitation before the day shyly retires into a mostly cloudy night, dropping temperatures to about 60 degrees…