Widespread Rain then Sunshine

Good afternoon folks! High clouds continue to stream overhead as of noon Saturday and we expect clouds to increase this afternoon as southerly flow increases ahead of our next rain event. Isolated showers dot the escarpment along the SC state line tonight and coverage expands NW throughout the day Sunday, with heavy rain likely late Sunday night. Showers move out sometime Monday morning and sunshine returns during the afternoon hours. Sunny skies hang around Tuesday and Wednesday, with our next rain event slated to develop sometime Thursday into Friday Temps all the while will remain above average, with 60's today, Sunday and possibly Monday, cooling down to the low 50's Tuesday and Wednesday, which is only technically a few degrees above normal. As of today there are no signs of wintry precip for the next 5 - 7 days, sorry snow lovers.

Sunday starts out the day with spotty light showers coming out of the south and east and coverage will be slow to expand as the day moves along, reaching widespread coverage sometime by the mid - late afternoon hours. Coverage will remain widespread throughout the night and intensities slowly increase past sunset, becoming heavy during the pre dawn hours. Most of SW NC will pick up an inch, perhaps 1.5" and areas along and near the SC state line will exceed 2". A few spots will likely surpass 2.5" and make a run at 3", but this will be isolated and dependent on rainfall intensities. Temps Sunday will warm to the mid 50's along the ridgelines, while the valleys push into the low 60's, cooling down to the mid 40's - low 50's Sunday night; normal daily highs are in the mid - upper 40's for the valleys.

Monday starts the day with showers but precip will end before noon and clouds will quickly clear the area, setting up a sunny afternoon. Temps may hit the their high before noon, reaching the mid 40's - upper 50's and likely drop quickly past 2pm; perhaps keep a light jacket on standby. Temps bottom out to the upper 20's - low 30's Monday under clear skies.

Tuesday and Wednesday keep sunshine overhead, with highs in the upper 30's - low 50's depending upon elevation. New Year's Eve (Tuesday) will be windy and the overnight forecast looks quiet, with clear skies overhead and temps dipping into the mid - upper 20's region-wide. One silver lining is that Cataloochee Ski Area should be able to make snow starting late Tuesday evening, continuing into the late morning hours Wednesday and doing a second session Wednesday night, even as clouds return to the region.

Thursday into Friday is when we expect our next rain event to begin, possibly stretching into Saturday and the models are hinting at another soaker, so if you need to tackle outdoor chores, get them wrapped up by Thursday morning. We'll circle back Monday morning with our next discussion.