UPDATE 3:30 p.m.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST FRIDAY
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. THIS REPLACES THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.
* HAZARDS…HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN.
* TIMING…A MIX OF RAIN AND SLEET WILL CHANGE OVER MAINLY TO SLEET THIS EVENING…AND THEN FREEZING RAIN DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD CHANGE TO ALL RAIN SHORTLY AFTER DAYBREAK FRIDAY.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SLEET ACCUMULATION OF UP TO 1 INCH…ALONG WITH AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE.
* IMPACTS…DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES DUE TO HEAVY ICE ACCUMULATIONS.
* TEMPERATURES…LOWS TONIGHT AROUND 30.
* WINDS…NORTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SLEET AND/OR ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
It’s deja-vu all over again.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory in effect from 6 p.m. today to noon Friday. The main threat will be sleet and ice, thanks to a low pressure system forming over the Gulf of Mexico. It will spread across our area tonight at the same time as cooler air comes our way from New England. The combination will bring us rain that will change over to a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain.
Area roads have already been coated with brine.
Forecasters may later issue a warning, depending on conditions.
There is a possibility of accumulations of sleet and freezing rain this evening, with sleet hitting us first, then changing to freezing rain in the early morning hours of Friday before switching back to rain. There could be as much as 0.2 inches of ice, especially north towards Davie County and northern Iredell.
This brings the chance of power outages from accumulated ice. Temperatures will drop into the lower 30s with northeast winds at 10 to 20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. The Weather Service urges caution when driving tonight and early Friday morning.
Today, under mostly cloudy skies, we may make it to the lower 40s.
As if sleet, rain and freezing rain were not enough, we may see patchy fog between 1 and 2 a.m. The chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
Friday brings mostly rain, with a 100 percent of precipitation and a high near 42. It will be windy, with north-northeast winds of 14 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 36 mph. As much as an inch of rain is possible.
Friday night, the rain continues, with a low around 33.
Just go to bed early, because when you wake up Saturday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 64. Sunday is just 1 degree different, with a high of 63.
Spring forward Sunday and find a high of 67 on Monday and 69 on Tuesday.
Wednesday will still be warm, in the 60s, with a slight chance of precipitation.