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The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a Freeze Watch for much of central North Carolina beginning Friday evening and lasting into Saturday morning.

<b>RALEIGH, N.C.</b> — The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a Freeze Watch for much of central North Carolina beginning Friday evening and lasting into Saturday morning.

After days of chilly temperatures, gray skies and persistent drizzle, sunnier skies are in the forecast for Friday. The forecast high is in to mid-50s under dry, mostly clear skies.

The temperature will take another dip after dark and fall past the freezing mark in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Counties along the North Carolina-Virginia border could see overnight lows in the 20s, and Saturday will only warm up to about 48 degrees, said WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze.

"It's going to be cold, so get ready," Maze said. "It's the first freeze of the season, but Saturday's sunshine will warm us into the 40s."

Alfred Charles

Current Temperatures, DMA

Saturday (Nov. 11) is likely to mark the first freeze of the season.

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

I'm meteorologist, Amy Wilma in the WRL severe weather center, we had a dry warm day today, but a cold front is off to the west of us and it arrives tomorrow and brings the potential for some scattered showers and some thunderstorms. It's a pretty potent system today with a level three out of five risk for part of the Midwest. But the severe weather will be moving eastward as this cold front moves eastward as well. And we'll have the risk for severe storms tomorrow. Although the storm energy will not be as high tomorrow as it is today. There's a lot of storm energy west of us today and that's why they have that higher risk for severe storms. But as this system moves closer to North Carolina, it does weaken. We could still have some isolated severe storms but we have weak to moderate energy. We don't have the strong energy that they have west of us today. So it's a level one risk for most of us Friday. This is in the afternoon and evening. So isolated severe storms possible. The biggest threat will be some damaging winds and a potential for some hail as Well, the first half of the day is dry, so no rain worries for the morning commute. But by the time we get to the afternoon and evening, that's when we'll have scattered showers and storms and any of the storms that do form could become severe. And our highest rain chances are right during the evening commute. So about a 40% chance for rain tomorrow as we move ahead to Saturday, only a slim chance for a shower, a 20% chance for rain. But then a decent chance for rain on Sunday, we don't expect storms, but mainly the second half of our Sunday will have some scattered showers and it will be a cooler day. Here's a look at the rain over the weekend again, just a slim chance for rain on Saturday. Otherwise partly to mostly cloudy skies with temperatures in the low to mid seventies. Sunday morning looks mainly dry with a little bit of rain over some of our southern counties. But then as we head toward the afternoon, a better chance for rain, especially south and east of the triangle. And then during the evening is when some of that rain lifts to the north and includes a good part of the viewing area on Sunday. So the second half of the day certainly looks like the wettest part of the day, still warm Friday with a high of 84. And then we're down into the mid seventies Saturday, high temperatures will be in the low to mid sixties for Sunday and Monday with some chilly mornings, Monday morning and Tuesday morning. Down into the forties, we warm back up next week though. 74 on Tuesday, 78 Wednesday and near 70 for a high temperature on Thursday.

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

The average first freeze comes on Oct. 31, but last year's first below-freezing temps came on Nov. 12.

Elizabeth Gardner

Evan Matsumoto

Hannah Webster

Freeze watch blankets Triangle Friday into Saturday

7-Day Forecast

The Storm Prediction Center has our southern counties under a Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday.

Level 1 severe risk Friday afternoon: Damaging winds and hail possible

Chilly mornings on the way 

Durham police are investigating a drive-by shooting Thursday night. 

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones early Friday morning, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.

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Residents in Anderson Creek Crossing in Spring Lake, are on high alert after discovering a disturbing pattern of tampered mail.

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More than 4,300 North Carolinians died from overdoses in 2022. That trend continues going up, devastating entire communities.

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WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

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Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

After 22 years in business, Armadillo Grill on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has closed.



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After the death of a Harnett County teenager, the softball community in Eastern North Carolina remembers her through stickers and fighting the stigma around mental health.

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Brandon Butterworth picked up his first hit of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to beat No. 11 North Carolina.

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The NHL has set the start times for game 1's across the Eastern Conference. The Canes are the opening act with puck drop Saturday at 5 pm from PNC Arena.

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The No. 15 Tar Heels have now beat No. 25 Duke in 15 consecutive games. Both teams now prepare for the ACC championship next week.

Freeze watch blankets Triangle Friday into Saturday

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