Sunny Monday tops record high

Indian summer warmed up the Triangle Monday, pushing the mercury to a record high for the date. At 3 p.m., it was 87 degrees in downtown Raleigh at WRAL Studios and 84 degrees at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The previous record high, 84 degrees was set in 2007. 

WRAL Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said the warm weather should stick around through Tuesday before a low pressure system brings rain chances to the area Tuesday night and Wednesday. 

"Average temperatures this time of year are usually in the mid 70s," Gardner said. "Today will be unusually warm, but it will be a great day to head out to the state fair – a nice, warm fall day."

Skies will become cloudy Tuesday night into Wednesday with rain chances increasing overnight, Gardner said. A front to the north will combine with a low pressure system moving north from the Gulf of Mexico to produce those showers. 

"We'll have some rain by late tomorrow and into the day Wednesday," Gardner said. "Wednesday morning will be pretty messy during the morning commute."

High temperatures will drop some 20 degrees by midweek, with highs only reaching into the mid 60s Thursday and Friday. Lows will fall into the low 40s and even upper 30s in rural areas, Gardner said. 

"In October you usually get a little bit of everything, and that's going to be the case this week," she said. "Very warm for this afternoon and then cold by the end of the week."