Arctic air, breeze to combine on frigid Friday

Temperatures were in the upper 20s late Friday morning, but a northwesterly breeze was creating wind chill temperatures in the low 20s for the bulk of the area.

"When the wind blows, even if it's not a real strong breeze, your body can't insulate as well and it feels colder," WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. "You'll definitely notice that this morning."

Mostly cloudy skies on the final day of the work week will keep temperatures from climbing much during the day, as high temperatures will climb only into the upper 30s. 

Overnight lows will be in the low 20s again Saturday, although daytime highs will work back toward normal and top out in the low 50s. 

Valentine's Day dates will be warm-clothing affairs, as temperatures back down into the 30s and upper 20s by the mid-evening on Saturday. Overnight lows will fall even more, hitting the teens by Sunday morning. 

Daytime highs Sunday will stay in the upper 20s. 

Cold air sticks around for the first part of next week, as highs Monday through Thursday are forecast to be in the mid- and upper 30s.

A passing front could generate some precipitation on Tuesday, some of which could be wintry, Gardner said. 

"It's way too early to tell anything about specifics, but the computer models are pointing to some sort of wintry precipitation on Tuesday," she said. "We'll continue to watch that."