Friday Brings Afternoon Storms - FOX Carolina 21

Friday Brings Afternoon Storms

TGIF!  We're starting off the day with pretty easy-going weather.  Some storms further west of us have generally been shifting southward... but a few areas that were headed our way have fizzled out.  Through the AM hours, you can expect partly to mostly cloudy skies and mainly dry conditions.

Humidity will bump up today, with highs near-normal (low/mid 80s in WNC, near 90 degrees in the Upstate).  An approaching cold front will bring the return of rain and t-storm chances later today, and this could cause some issues for your late-day plans.  Tonight brings the start of Friday night football, and with the threat of severe weather will come the need to stay aware and be prepared in case of storms.

Storms will begin to fire by the early afternoon in the Mountains, and by 5 PM will be likely across the WNC spots.  Upstate areas will stay mainly dry until the late-day commute, when some northern and western spots will start to get in on the storm action.  Storms will be scattered area-wide during the evening... which is when many people will be out watching those games.

The SPC has placed our region within the Slight Risk area for severe weather (see the Convective Outlook here), with hail and damaging wind gusts possible.  In addition to that, heavy rainfall and frequent lightning will come with any storm.  So, if you're at those fields and stadiums and you hear thunder or see lightning, you NEED to seek a sturdy shelter.  Some of the storms could be especially dangerous, so be safe!

The front will settle around the Carolinas through the weekend, keeping the chance of scattered storms in our Saturday and Sunday forecast.  Temperatures will cool a bit through the weekend... highs today will be seasonal (near 90° in the Upstate and in the low/mid 80s in the Mountains), but by Sunday they'll range from the upper 70s to mid 80s.

Have a great weekend - and stay tuned later today for updates on the storm situation!