The slim chance of snow flurries forecasters had whispered for this weekend in central North Carolina is evaporating as a pair of cold fronts approach, one of them bringing air so dry it has prompted fire-hazard warnings.
Here’s what the National Weather Service says is coming.
Thursday: Windy and dry, turning cold
Winds will pick up mid- to late morning Thursday across central North Carolina, forecasters say, with frequent gusts of 25 mph to 35 mph, occasionally up to 40 mph in the Sandhills and Central Coastal Plain.
At the same time, the leading edge of the Arctic front will spill into the region, and once the temperature reaches the low 50s in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill around noon, it will start dropping.
Thursday night’s low will be around 21 degrees, but with sustained winds of 7 to 11 mph and gusts up to 25 mph, the Weather Service saysit will feel as cold as 14 degrees overnight.
Central North Carolina will see our coldest weather since January on Thursday and Friday nights, when temperatures will drop as low as the teens and the wind will make it feel even chillier. This map shows temperatures expected overnight Thursday, Dec. 5. NOAA
Though there may not be burn bans in effect, outdoor burning is discouraged Thursday to prevent sparking wildfires. It will be too windy to rake leaves anyway; might as well stay inside and watch them fall.
Forecast: Even colder on Friday
Forecasters say the Arctic air behind the front will bring the coldest temperatures since January,with highs Friday in the upper 30s to lower 40s and lows early Saturday morning of 15 to 20 degrees.
Some areas may see temperatures in the lower teens early Saturday.
Those temperatures are 12 to 18 degrees below average for the region at this time of year, forecasters say.
Hypothermia is when body temperature drops below 95 degrees, which can happen when a person is exposed to temperatures below 68 degrees, including inside an unheated home. Infants and the elderly are the most susceptible because their bodies have a harder time regulating temperature. NOAA/National Weather Service
What happened to the possibility of snow?
On Monday, the National Weather Service mentioned that some European forecast models saw a possibility of snow flurries Saturday night/early Sunday in central North Carolina. It was a long shot, requiring there be enough moisture in the air along with the incoming cold temperatures.
We’ll get the cold, but the air will be too dry even for flurries.
Martha Quillin writes about climate change and the environment. She has covered North Carolina news, culture, religion and the military since joining The News & Observer in 1987.
