Strong storms weaken in mountains; thunderstorms possible Friday

A storm barreling across the Deep South on Thursday will lose steam as it rolls over the Appalachian Mountains but will still bring a marginal risk of severe weather to North Carolina.

Thursday in the Triangle will be dry, windy and bright, and temperatures will be warm. The storm moving across the United States, though, will make for a soggy Friday morning.

"By the time it makes us into our area tomorrow, that threat for severe weather is much lower," said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. "So, we have a marginal risk ... of severe weather."

Temperatures ahead of the storm will remain warm, Gardner said, though the southerly flow will bring more cloud cover later on Thursday.

"(We could) have a couple of scattered thunderstorms," Gardner said. "A few of those could produce some damaging wind or some hail, but we're not likely to see too much of that."

Saturday will bring more sunshine, but it will just be a break between another system that could bring scattered showers late Sunday and into Monday.