Week will see duel between spring, winter weather

Raleigh, N.C. — Early spring will visit North Carolina to start and end this week, but winter will make a cold – and briefly snowy – appearance for a few days.

"The weather's skipping February and going straight to March," WRAL meteorologist Nate Johnson said.

Skies stayed clear of clouds Sunday, but a high-pressure system did bring some southwesterly winds. Highs reached 62 in the Triangle.

"That's a warm wind direction for us, and that's going to help push the mercury up into the 60s today, how 'bout that?" Johnson said.

Monday's high will stay above normal, in the mid 50s, but a cold front will move in during the afternoon, increasing clouds. At the same time, a developing, off-shore system will bring rain to coastal North Carolina.

For the Triangle, "the front should be able to tap into some of that moisture and give us a couple showers late tomorrow (Monday) afternoon, mainly, though, into tomorrow evening and Tuesday," Johnson said.

And when temperatures fall into the high 20s overnight, rain could turn into snow.

"We expect, perhaps, a little of this to change over to a little bit of light snow before it's all said and done," Johnson said.

WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said flurries will be likely overnight and early Tuesday but there doesn't appear to be enough moisture behind the cold front to keep snow falling steadily past mid-morning. Also given the warm temperatures of the past few days, significant accumulation is not expected.

Rainfall totals, too, might be low.

"At this point, the rainfall amounts really do not look all that impressive. Right now, WeatherScope is printing out a whopping 0.001 of an inch," Johnson said.

After the chance of snow passes, frigid temperatures will linger for a while – the high Wednesday won't get above freezing, and temperatures will fall into the teens overnight.

The remainder of the week, though, will see a warm-up, with highs getting back into the mid 50s.