Forecast Last Updated at Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 6:52AM

Chilly Start; Mild Finish

We start today on a chilly note across the area, but sunshine and a south wind will make for a milder finish. Clouds roll in tonight leading to widespread showers and thunderstorms on Friday. Skies clear Friday night. It will be breezy at times Friday afternoon. Saturday starts out seasonably cool, but once again, the sun and a south wind will work wonders making for a warm finish. Sunday looks to be even another step warmer…a great weekend to get outdoors. Unsettled weather returns next week.

It's our favorite time of year again... MerleFest is today through Sunday with wall-to-wall music on 13 stages. The weather looks great (except for showers and t-storms during the daytime Friday). See our Hour-by-Hour MerleFest Forecast for details.

Thursday Hi: 73 Lo: 51 Mostly sunny & pleasant; More clouds Thursday night; SW wind 5-10 mph

Friday Hi: 74 Lo: 49 Mostly cloudy; Daytime showers & t-storms; Decreasing clouds Fri. night; SW wind 5-15 mph & gusty, becoming NW late

Saturday Hi: 78 Lo: 51 Sunny & warm; Light wind

Sunday Hi: 80 Lo: 54 Partly cloudy; Continued warm

Monday Hi: 73 Lo: 56 Mostly cloudy; Showers & t-storms possible

Further Out

Tuesday - Cloudy with showers and t-storms possible; High in the lower 70s; Low in the lower 50s
Wednesday - Mostly cloudy with showers possible; High in the upper 60s; Low in the upper 40s

Forecast Discussion

High pressure passing by to the north will keep it dry through today and for most, if not all, of tonight. To the west, a quick-moving, but decently strong upper level system is moving through the southern Plains. This system will send a cold front across western NC Friday with a round of showers and t-storms (some possibly with gusty winds). The risk of showers will linger until the front comes through (mid-afternoon). A SW breeze ahead of the front will shift to the NW behind it and become gusty at times through the early evening hours. The wind won’t completely die down until early Saturday, though.

Saturday morning will start on the cool side, but will quickly warm up into the 70’s through the afternoon thanks to a developing southerly wind. Yesterday we had a small chance of showers in the forecast for Sunday due to a nearby warm front. However, it now looks like that front will stay north of the area. Because of this, we have taken the chance of rain out on Sunday. It also looks a bit warmer now as well with many areas reaching 80.

A significant pattern change is in the cards for next week that will likely bring an extended period of unsettled weather to western NC. It is too early to determine the exact details due to the expected complex nature of the weather pattern. But, lots of clouds, periods of showers and storms, and cooler weather all look to be in the works for next week.

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