Warm, sunny weather kicks off work week

Plenty of sunshine and just a slight chance of rain are on tap for the next five days, with temperatures warming into the and 70s and 80s.

“Overall, it looks like it’s going to be a bright day,” WRAL meteorologist Mike Moss said. “You should see just about nothing but sunshine by lunchtime.”

Clouds that brought storms to the state over the weekend swept off the coast overnight, making way for clear skies. Monday’s high is Raleigh is expected to reach 71 degrees, and breezy conditions will die down.

"It’s almost like flipping a switch today,” Moss said. “Yesterday, we couldn’t get out of the 50s. Today, a lot of us will hit the 70s or better.”

Tuesdays’ high is expected to reach 74 degrees, and Wednesday could hit 81 degrees.

“If we reach the high of 81, that will be the first time we’ve gotten to 80 at the Raleigh-Durham airport since October 5th,” Moss said.

The warming trend will continue, but increasing clouds on Thursday and Friday bring a chance of rain.

The work week's milder weather is in sharp contrast to the weekend. The National Weather Service says two tornadoes touched down in Wake County during severe weather Saturday night.

The first report of an EF0 tornado – with maximum wind speeds of 85 mph – touched down near the intersection of Old Stage Road and N.C. Highway 42 in Willow Spring at 8:57 p.m., according to a storm survey report the weather service released Sunday evening.

The second tornado report – also an EF0 with maximum winds estimated at 80 mph – hit a home at the intersection of Trebor Drive and Crosse Point Lane at 9:08 p.m.