Holiday weekend traffic builds
The cool, sunny forecast and three-day weekend drew drivers to east and southbound routes Friday afternoon, making for slow going through Raleigh on Interstate 40 and on U.S. Highway 70 in Johnston County.
Posted — UpdatedDry air and abundant sunshine sets up a beautiful holiday weekend in the Triangle, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.
A dry cold front will pushed through the state Friday morning, allowing more stable air from Canada to flood into the region. Friday's daytime high was only 71 degrees at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
With daytime highs lingering some 10 degrees below normal and cool air moving in behind the cold front, overnight lows will plummet into the low 40s Friday night into Saturday morning. The record low May 25 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport was set in 1931, when the mercury dipped to 42 degrees.
"We're going to be close to that record," Gardner said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we tied it early Saturday morning."
Highs Saturday will stay cool, topping out in the low 70s under sunny skies. Temperatures will begin to climb slowly through the upper 70s Sunday and Monday, and the area will see mid-80s again by the middle of next week.
Beachgoers will enjoy sunshine all weekend along the North Carolina coast, but temperatures will remain cool there as well. Highs in Wilmington will top out in the mid-70s Saturday and Sunday and climb into the upper 70s Monday.
Northern beaches could see highs in the upper 60s Saturday.
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