ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A warming trend is expected to continue across Western North Carolina through the end of the workweek, with near-record high temperatures possible Friday, according to the US National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg.
Forecasters say a warm air mass moving in from the south will bring steadily increasing temperatures and cloud cover through midweek. Highs are expected to climb into the upper 60s and lower 70s by Thursday and Friday.
Rain chances increase late Thursday into Friday as a developing weather system over the Midwest strengthens and pushes moisture into the Carolinas. The setup is expected to place the region in a broad warm sector, resulting in widespread rainfall.
While periods of rain are likely, forecasters say rainfall totals at this time do not appear high enough to raise significant flooding concerns.
The unsettled pattern may continue into the weekend as a cold front approaches. Forecast models show some disagreement on how the system will evolve. Some guidance suggests the front could stall over the Carolinas and bring another round of rain Sunday, while other models indicate the front will move through more quickly, ushering in drier and cooler air by late Sunday or early next week.
Confidence in the exact timing and impacts of the weekend system remains low and is expected to improve over the next several days.
In Asheville, overnight lows are expected to dip into the mid-40s Tuesday night under mostly cloudy skies. Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a high near 68 degrees.
A slight chance of rain returns late Wednesday night into Thursday, with highs Thursday near 71 degrees. Rain chances increase Thursday night and continue intermittently through Friday.
By Saturday, temperatures are forecast to drop, with a high near 58 and a 50 percent chance of rain. Rain could mix with snow late Saturday night as temperatures fall to the lower 30s.
Sunday brings a 30 percent chance of snow and a high near 47, followed by colder conditions Sunday night with lows around 22 degrees, signaling a return to more seasonal temperatures early next week.