17 January 2023
(WGHP) – After a cold and rainy Tuesday, we’ll see a brief break from the rainfall before our next weather system moves in Thursday, sparking a few showers across the Piedmont Triad.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the low-pressure system is located several thousand miles west of North Carolina and is bringing snow to portions of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.
As the system moves eastward into Wednesday, it’ll spark rain and strong to severe storms ahead of the cold front. Those located to the northwest of the front will see snow.
Snow is expected Wednesday and Thursday in Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan. While severe weather is possible Wednesday in portions of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama.
In North Carolina, we aren’t expecting severe weather and we’re definitely not looking at snow with this cold front. However, we can’t rule out a few rumbles of thunder with any showers that pop up throughout the day Thursday.
We continue to see cloudy skies Wednesday night into Thursday before showers return to the forecast as we approach daybreak.
Thursday is not expected to be a washout but, a few rounds of scattered showers will remain possible from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. You’ll want the umbrella with you all day, just in case!
Since we’re mainly expecting spotty showers, rainfall totals should be fairly low with many picking up around a tenth of an inch total.
Not only are we expecting scattered showers Thursday, but we’re also expecting it to be a little breezy.
From daybreak through lunchtime, winds will begin to strengthen. For the most part winds will be between 10 mph and 20 mph but some stronger gusts could reach up to 30 mph into the early afternoon.
The cold front officially pushes through the Triad Thursday night. Once the front is through, showers will clear out, winds will weaken, and cooler, drier air will move in.
While winds will be increasing ahead of the cold front, temperatures will be dropping behind the front.
Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, temperatures across the FOX8 viewing area will be in the middle 60s.
With highs in the 60s, we’ll be nearly 15 to 20 degrees warmer than normal for this time of the year. By Thursday afternoon, we will have had six 60+ degree days in January.
Once the cold front moves through Thursday night into Friday, colder air will move in. Temperatures will be nearly 10 degrees cooler from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon.
By the weekend, temperatures fall into the low 50s, marking the return of near-normal temperatures for January.