After warm Friday, temperatures to cool for holiday weekend

Overnight lows fell only into the upper 50s and low 60s early Friday, about 10 to 15 degrees above normal for the first week of April and about 20 degrees warmer than they were on Thursday.

Temperatures will climb quickly once the sun rises, hitting the mid-70s by lunchtime before topping out in the low 80s, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.

"Today will be the warmest day of the next three by far. We'll see a big drop, but it only drops us into the mid-60s, where as last weekend we were in the 40s," she said.

An occasional raindrop is possible Friday as a cold front pushes into the state, but widespread showers are not expected, Gardner said.

As the cooler air arrives on Saturday morning, parts of the area could see scattered rain through the morning hours. Chances will peak during the morning hours at about 50 percent.

"The system that is headed our way has produced severe weather to our west and south, but we're not expecting that after it crosses over the mountains," Gardner said. "We have a general risk for some thunder on Saturday, but it's a low chance."

Gradual clearing should begin during the late morning and early afternoon Saturday as temperatures climb back into the mid-60s.

After a cool morning in the mid-30s on Easter Sunday, high temperatures will reach 65 degrees – about 10 degrees below normal for early April – during the afternoon. Skies will be partly cloudy to mostly sunny.

Scattered rain is possible on Monday and Tuesday as warmer air arrives.

"Expect it to be a bit more muggy next week, and we'll have a better chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms," Gardner said.

Highs Monday will be in the low 70s before climbing into the upper 70s to low 80s by the middle of next week.