Don't Look for Much Sunshine This Week

After a gloomy weekend, don't look for much sunshine this week. This Monday morning, we are stuck in the same cold air wedge setup from the weekend. That will keep us cloudy with occasional showers moving through the area today. We'll begin to see the cold air wedge erode this afternoon with warmer air moving in from the coast. That will give us a warmer day tomorrow with highs near 70 to the low 70s. However, rain is still in the forecast tomorrow with showers and storms expected in the afternoon and evening.

Check out this morning's video blog posted below for more...

You Might Not Like Today's Weather, But You'll Wish for A Day Like Today Come August!

And if you're new to the area, just ask your neighbor whats in store for you this summer.
High pressure to the north is keeping us under a cooler dome of air and moisture overriding this dome continues to keep clouds overhead and areas of precipitation falling. This wedge of cold air is expected to diminish slowly on Monday from east to west but still have a jacket handy especially if you're spending time anywhere between the Triad and Triangle! Here's more in today's video blog:

Have a great Sunday! Keep warm!

Pati Darak

Weather on the Ones Meteorologist,

News 14 Carolina

Much Cooler Weather this Weekend

After reaching 81 degrees at RDU Friday, we start our weekend on the cooler side. A cold front passed through the state overnight, ushering in northeasterly breezes.
Upper level winds will steer some moisture over this cold air, keeping us on the cloudy side with a possibility of showers from time to time. Highs today will only reach the 50s with NE winds of 10-15mph.
Cloudy tonight with a chance of showers, lows near 40.

The forecast for the remainder of the weekend will be continued cool temperatures and a chance for showers.
Monday shows improvement as far as temperatures as our cold air wedge breaks down and highs quickly rebound to the lower 60s.
By midweek we'll see highs in the lower 70s tempered by a cold front that could bring some measureable rain late Tuesday into early Wednesday.

We mentioned in our Weather on the Ones video blog a link for the Naval Observatory. If you are a moonwatching fan it might be difficult to check out the skies tonight, but this site has pictures of what the moon looks like today as well as other great information!

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php

Have a good Saturday,
Pati Darak
News 14 Carolina

Cooler Weather for the Weekend, and We Remember a Tornado Outbreak Anniversary

Hello

Today marks 24 years since the largest and most devastating tornado outbreak in North Carolina. The March 28th 1984 outbreak killed 57 people in North and South Carolina and injured another 800. More on this outbreak can be found at the following link to the National Weather Service (who supplied the graphic we used in today's video blog):
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19840328/

While we do not have that danger today, we do have a heightened fire danger. SW winds of 10-20 miles an hour, paired with low relative humidities and dry surface conditions make this a day that wildfires can develop.
There is a burn ban for all counties east of the mountains today, so any plans for outdoor burning will have to be put off. In addition, if you see a wildfire, please contact local authorities immediately.
We'll quickly go to jacket weather for the weekend. More on that in today's video blog:

Also, remember that if you would like to become a volunteer for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network (CoCoRaHS) and take part in collecting weather data check out this link for more information: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rah/news/cocorahs.php

Have a great Friday

Pati Darak

Meteorologist, News 14 Carolina

24 Years Ago: Carolinas Tornado Outbreak

It has been 24 years since the worst severe outbreak in recorded weather history for North Carolina. The tornado outbreak began on the afternoon of March 28, 1984 in South Carolina and continued into eastern North Carolina through the evening. Several F3 and F4 tornadoes were reported. Fifty-seven people were killed in the Carolinas including 42 in North Carolina. An estimated 800 people were injured.

Read more about the Carolinas Outbreak of 1984 by clicking to the following link from the National Weather Service --

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19840328/

Warm for Now....

Highs in the upper 70s to near 80 are in the forecast today and Friday, but that is likely to come to and end this weekend. A stationary front located across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia today will sink to the south as a cold front Friday. It will pass through our area late Friday night and Saturday ushering in a big weekend cool down.

We'll start Saturday morning in the upper 50s and may drop to the low 50s by the afternoon. Sunday's highs will also only warm to the 50s. Look for mostly cloudy skies and a few sprinkles both days making for a dreary weekend. Any rain will not add up to much.

Chilly Tuesday Morning

This morning featured the coldest temperatures expected this week --

• Raleigh-Durham: 29
• Louisburg: 30
• Southern Pines: 30
• Chapel Hill: 32
• Rocky Mount-Wilson: 33
• Henderson-Oxford: 34
• Goldsboro: 35
• Lumberton: 35
• Smithfield: 36
• Fayetteville: 37

We'll warm up from here. I still expect the upper 70s for Friday with some spots in the Sandhills topping out near 80. Bring on the warm weather!

Afternoon Update

Cool Start to the Week; Warm Up Ahead

This week is shaping up to be a quiet week weather-wise. Today's highs in the low to mid 50s are just a little more than 10 degrees below normal for this time of the year. We saw a few sprinkles of rain around the Triangle early this morning and light snow was reported in the Triad. We'll have another chance for a few showers late this afternoon and evening, but that looks to be our only rain chances through the work week.

Lows will drop to near freezing Tuesday morning, but that will be the coldest of the week. A gradual warm up is expected beginning Tuesday afternoon with highs near 60. We'll be back in the 70s by the end of the week. Some highs may even reach close to 80 by Friday in the Sandhills.

Evening Update

Pleasant Easter, Chance of Showers Monday

Have a pleasant Sunday

Pati Darak

Meteorologist, News 14 Carolina

Evening Update

Teeter-Totter Temperatures for our Easter Weekend

Our first weekend of spring starts out warm but ends on a chilly note with a cool Easter forecast. More in your Weather on the Ones Video blog:

You also saw in the blog our teaser for the National Weather Service's need for weather spotters. I mentioned earlier this month that CoCoRaH S is coming into service with the NWS in NC and will need the help of many volunteers. For more information on how you can help not only the Weather Service but those of us who report and research the weather please check out this link to the NWS:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rah/news/cocorahs.php

Have a great day and a safe holiday weekend.

Pati Darak

News 14 Carolina

Warm end to the week, cooler Easter Sunday in store, and remembering a deadly tornado outbreak from 10 years ago

Looks like a calm and warm end to our work week as high pressure shifts to our east, allowing for a more southerly wind flow and highs in the upper 60s today.
We have more about that in your Weather on the Ones Video Blog:








These pictures are from the National Weather Service in Raleigh. 10 years ago North carolina endured a series of severe storms which produced 10 tornadoes, 46 reports of damaging hail, 9 reports of wind damage, 27 injuries and sadly, 2 fatalities. More about this outbreak is available through the National Weather Service at this link:http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19980320/

Have a pleasant Friday and a safe holiday weekend.
Pati Darak,
News 14 Carolina

Windy Today, But Quiet into the Weekend

The cold front that moved through North Carolina last night through early this morning did not produce as much rain as we hoped for our part of the state. Here's a look at some rain totals from around the state --

• Asheville: 1.18"
• Charlotte: 0.72"
• Greensboro: 0.41"
• Chapel Hill: 0.27"
• Rocky Mount-Wilson: 0.19"
• Lumberton: 0.18"
• Wilmington: 0.18"
• Raleigh (NCSU): 0.14"
• Fayetteville: 0.13"
• Goldsboro: 0.08"
• Raleigh-Durham: 0.08"

Windy weather will continue behind that front today. Since we did not see much rain last night, our ground is still dry. Combine that with today's wind and falling relative humidities, our fire danger will increase into the afternoon. Today is not the day for any outdoor burning.

The winds should diminish late this afternoon and evening. Look for pleasant weather into the weekend. Our next chance for rain should come early next week as low pressure develops off the Carolina coast. However, there is a lot of uncertainty on exactly how that will evolve and what impacts it will have on our weather. For more on that, check out this morning's video blog update posted below.

Showers and Storms This Evening

A front moving through North Carolina late today and tonight still looks to bring about 0.25" to 0.5" of rain to our area. The best chance for rain should come between 7pm and midnight. The Storm Prediction Center still has all of the Carolinas outlined with a "slight risk" for severe weather. There's a chance a storm could become strong with damaging winds.

For more on tonight's chance for rain, the severe weather threat, and another chance for rain early next week, watch this morning's video blog posted below --

Afternoon Update

Showers and Storms for Wednesday

A storm system threatening the Deep South with severe weather today will bring the chance for rain to the Carolinas tomorrow.

The Storm Prediction Center has forecast a moderate risk of severe weather for portions of Texas and Louisiana today. That is where strong storms and even some tornadoes could develop through the day.

As the front that is producing that stormy weather heads our way, we do not expect a widespread severe weather outbreak. However, we cannot rule out a few strong storms along the front. The SPC has placed all of the Carolinas and surrounding areas under a slight risk for severe weather tomorrow.

The good news out of this system will be more welcomed rain for the state. On average, we expect about 0.5" with most of the rain coming late Wednesday afternoon and evening.

For more on the storms, take a look at this morning's video blog posted below:

Afternoon Update

Saturday's Storms... More for Wednesday?

North Carolina missed out on the worst of the weather this weekend, but it was a much different story for our neighbors to the south in South Carolina where numerous tornadoes were reported Saturday afternoon and evening.

Two of the South Carolina tornadoes have been rated as EF-3 tornadoes by the National Weather Service. Here's a look at some damage done by one of those EF-3 tornadoes in the small town of Prosperity, which is located northwest of Columbia.

(Pictures taken from WKDK Radio-Newberry website -- http://www.wkdk.com/)

I spent much of Saturday afternoon watching radar of the supercell thunderstorms that produced these tornadoes. No doubt, these were very unusual storms for the Carolinas. It seemed like I was watching radar of storms in Oklahoma instead of South Carolina.

This weekend's tornado outbreak may bring back memories to some of the Carolina's Outbreak of 1984. On March 28, 1984 tornadoes ripped across the northern Midlands of South Carolina into Sandhills and eastern North Carolina. That outbreak was even more intense than Saturday's with several F3 and F4 tornadoes reported in North Carolina. Fifty-seven people were killed during that outbreak across the Carolinas.

Looking ahead, we do not see a set up for another large severe weather event this week, but some strong to severe storms will be possible Wednesday ahead of a cold front moving across the state. The Storm Prediction Center has now placed all of the Carolinas under a "slight risk" for severe weather on Wednesday.

For more on Saturday's storms and the threat for more storms on Wednesday, check out this morning's video blog posted below...

More information on the web --

• Survey of Saturday's tornadoes from the National Weather Service - Columbia, SC
• March 28, 1984 Carolinas Tornado Outbreak
• Storm Prediction Center