Severe storms possible through the weekend – WCCB Charlotte

Tonight will stay warm and muggy with partly cloudy skies and a little lingering haze. Any isolated shower will quickly disappear after sunset, leaving overnight will be very muggy with lows in the low to mid-70s.

Saturday: Storm Chances Return

Saturday a cold front will slowly approach the Carolinas, providing the spark needed for scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms to develop. The morning should feature a mix of sunshine and clouds with temperatures quickly warming through the 80s before topping out in the low to mid 90s.

It will still be hot and humid, with heat index values climbing into the lower 100s before storms begin to develop. While not everyone will get wet, any storm that forms could become strong. Damaging wind gusts, torrential rainfall, frequent lightning, and isolated flooding will all be possible. The Storm Prediction Center continues to place much of the area under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the radar if you have outdoor plans.

Sunday: More Storms, Same Summer Heat

Sunday looks very similar, although storm coverage will be more widespread as the front lingers nearby. Expect another warm and humid start with temperatures climbing into the lower 90s during the afternoon.

Once again, scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the heat of the day and continue into the evening. Some storms could produce strong wind gusts and very heavy rainfall in a short amount of time, leading to ponding on roads and localized flooding. Not everyone will see rain, but if a storm moves over your neighborhood, it could briefly become intense.

Looking Ahead

As we head into next week, we’ll settle into a more typical summertime weather pattern. That means highs remaining in the lower 90s, plenty of humidity, and the return of scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day. While the heat isn’t disappearing, the added cloud cover and daily rain chances should keep us from seeing quite as many extreme heat index values. By late next week temperatures are trending into the upper 80s.