Wear rain gear Wednesday to Belk Bowl festivities

Fans headed to the Belk Bowl festivities outside Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday would do well to wear their rain gear.

The latest forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of showers throughout the morning and afternoon.

Rain will be strongest from daybreak to mid-afternoon “but will still be going pretty good” later in the day, said John Tomko, climatologist with the National Weather Service in Greer, S.C.

New rainfall amounts could total a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch during the morning and afternoon and another 10th- to a quarter-inch Wednesday night, according to the weather service.

About 50,000 people are expected to attend the Belk Bowl FanFest from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The event includes a free outdoor concert at 1 p.m. by country singer and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood. N.C. State faces Mississippi State at 3:30 p.m.

Showers could continue into Thursday, which has a 50 percent chance of rain mainly before 3 p.m.

The rain will then move out of the region, although skies are expected to remain mostly cloudy on New Year’s Day, according to the weather service.

Sunshine could finally return over the weekend and remain at least into early next week.

Highs are expected to dip from 67 Wednesday and 63 Thursday to a more seasonable 52 on New Year’s Day, 48 Saturday and 50 Sunday.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Wear rain gear Wednesday to Belk Bowl festivities."