Cold front to bring low in 30s to Charlotte area. Mountains may get snow, NWS says
A dramatic change in temperatures this weekend could see Charlotte drop into the 30s after dark, and there might actually be snow in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
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Models show temperatures on Saturday will fall 10 degrees below normal and roughly 20 to 25 degrees cooler than Friday, forecasters say.
On Sunday, a high of only 58 degrees is expected for Charlotte, with a low of 39, according to forecast maps.
“The strong cold front will bring the coolest air of the season this weekend. Temperatures will likely drop low enough Saturday night for widespread frost and areas of freezing temperatures across the mountains … It would not be a surprise to see frost in places across the NC foothills and NW Piedmont,” NWS forecasters said Friday.
“The air will be cold enough aloft that a few snowflakes are possible at the highest elevations of the Smokies and Mt. Mitchell, but no accumulation is expected. Precipitation chances should end as the short wave moves east in the afternoon.”
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A freeze watch has been issued from late Saturday night into Sunday morning for portions of northwestern North Carolina, the NWS says.
In the Charlotte area, the front will be accompanied by a chance of rain (20% to 30%) late Friday into Saturday, and wind gusts could exceed 30 mph, forecasters say.
Lows will likely be in the 40s through next week, and a slight warming trend will take highs to around 70 degrees, forecasters say.
The steep drop in temperatures follows a period when highs in the 90s set new daily records in many North Carolina counties, forecasters say.
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