Raleigh, N.C. — After several days of gloomy weather and hit-or-miss showers, sunshine and gradually warming temperatures will make their way back to central and eastern North Carolina Friday, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.

The warming will be slow and steady over the next several days, but sunshine will arrive first thing Friday morning after clouds cleared out overnight.

Other than a slight chance of sprinkles Saturday night or early Sunday, the next six days should be partly cloudy to mostly sunny, Gardner said.

"We're almost 10 degrees colder this morning than we were yesterday thanks to our clear skies, but we will have sunshine that helps warm us up as we go through the day," she said. 

Temperatures were near 50 degrees at lunchtime and should hover there before dipping into the low 40s by the time First Friday events begin in downtown Raleigh. 

Highs will top out in the low 50s Saturday and upper 50s Sunday before beginning a trek toward the mid-60s by the middle of next week, Gardner said. 

"High pressure is going to stick with us for the next several days, allowing the sunshine to dominate much of the seven-day forecast," she said. "We're going to be well above normal by the middle of next week."

Overnight lows will stay near January averages, hovering between 30 and 35 degrees for much of the next week.