Rowan weather: Look for falling temperatures, rain/freezing rain

Published 12:00 am Monday, March 3, 2014

Here’s an afternoon update from the National Weather Service:
…PATCHY FREEZING RAIN AND DRIZZLE THIS EVENING WITH BLACK ICE
DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT…
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL BELOW FREEZING OVER THE ENTIRE REGION BY LATE AFTERNOON BEHIND AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT. PATCHY AREAS OF MIXED SLEET AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. AS GROUND TEMPERATURES ARE WARM THERE SHOULD BE MINIMAL IMPACT FROM THE FALLING PRECIPITATION. EVEN SO…IF THE PRECIPITATION BECOMES A LITTLE MORE WIDESPREAD THAN EXPECTED…A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MAY STILL BE ISSUED FOR PARTS OF THIS AREA FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.
AS TEMPERATURES QUICKLY FALL…AREAS OF BLACK ICE ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTH MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT AS WET PAVEMENT FREEZES. PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT OF SOUTH CAROLINA…INCLUDING ROCK HILL MAY ALSO SEE BLACK ICE DEVELOP. THIS WILL RESULT IN SLICK SPOTS DEVELOPING ON SOME ROADWAYS LATER TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING.

Hope you enjoyed your morning commute, because this evening is looking unpleasant.
We’ve probably reached our high for today — around 56 — and temperatures are expected to fall below freezing by 5 p.m., around 31. Today will be breezy, with sustained winds around 21 mph and gusts around 28 mph. Rain will move in before 4 p.m., followed by a chance of rain or freezing rain. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent, but little to no ice accumulation is expected.
Then we move on to a chance of sleet before 7 p.m., then a slight chance of snow before 8. The low will be 20 degrees, with winds 10-16 mph, gusting as as high as 22 mph. Don’t expect any snow accumulation.
Tuesday, mostly sunny, high near 43 and a low around 28. It warms up Wednesday, with a high of 53 and a low around 30.
Thursday, we’re back to a 50 percent chance of rain and a high near 44,. Thursday night, we have a 60 percent chance of rain and snow with a low right at the freezing mark.
Friday, the rain chance continues, but it will clim to near 50 degrees.
Right now, the weekend looiks partly sunny and warmer, with highs around 60.