Chance for rain sticks around into Friday; sun returns for weekend, Christmas
The steady, light rain that drenched the Triangle Thursday isn't likely to be completely over for another 24 hours. But sun is in the forecast beyond Friday and the beginning of Christmas week looks downright delightful, WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said.
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Rain showers could grow more intense this evening before easing off throughout the day on Friday.
"Late this afternoon and evening, we may have some strong to severe storms in our eastern counties," WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. "Our biggest threat would be wind damage."
The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches for 40 counties, most of them in the eastern half of the state. Some communities could see up to two inches of rain.
Through 4 p.m., Raleigh had measured just shy of a half-inch, while the Sandhills saw about three-quarters of an inch.
"There's a line of more intense showers that we're watching," Maze said, "but once we get past 10 p.m., the intensity of rain and the chance for severe weather should fall off."
The precipitation chance drops to about 50 percent Friday morning. By Friday evening, most the Triangle should be under clearing skies.
The sun returns for the weekend and warms central North Carolina into the mid-50s under mostly clear skies, ideal for any last-minute Christmas shopping. The same is in the forecast for Christmas Day: bright and sunny skies, with limited clouds and a brisk high of 52 degrees.
Christmas Eve will be similarly pleasant, with partly cloudy skies and a high around 55 degrees.
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