One more gloomy, wet day in store before warmup

Daytime highs Tuesday will top out near 40 degrees before falling back into the upper 30s overnight.

The slightly warmer conditions will keep any rain that does fall from freezing. Still, the conditions will be quite miserable overnight and during the first half of the day Tuesday, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.

"Temperatures will get down into the mid-30s, but not below that," she said. "It's something we'll have to continue to track."

Rain showers could continue during the morning and midday hours Wednesday before they move out of the Triangle by 4 or 5 p.m. Daytime highs will climb into the mid-50s during the afternoon, still about 10 degrees below normal for mid-March.

Skies will clear heading into Thursday, and sunshine will help push daytime highs back into the 60s on the first day of spring.

"The flow that's been reinforcing this shallow layer of cold air will start to weaken tomorrow," WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel said. "That will set us up for much better weather Thursday."

Temperatures will be even warmer on the final day of the work week, climbing into the upper 60s under partly cloudy skies.

Rain chances return on Saturday, but daytime highs will likely be in the low 70s.