In the 60s, balmy New Year's Day temps could beat old record

Sunday will be the last cool day of 2018 before milder, warmer weather moves in for Monday and the start of the new year.

The normal low for New Year's Eve into Jan. 1 is 31 degrees, but temperatures could be as high as 62 degrees or as low as 55 degrees in Raleigh as 2019 begins. As New Year's Day continues, afternoon highs could near 70 degrees.

"We're on par to break the record for the warmest low temperature on New Year's Day in terms of our morning low," said Campbell.

The record to beat dates back to 1979, when a mild temperature of 55 degrees was recorded in Raleigh. There's a good chance that record could be broken, although, according to Campbell, temperatures may fall below 55 degrees before midnight depending on how quickly a front moves through the area.

New Year's Eve will be a cloudy day, and there is a chance for some rain Monday night, but not enough to cancel outdoor plans.

"The chances for rain are in the 30 percent range, so the likelihood of getting wet is not great, and I certainly would not call it a washout," said Campbell.

Tuesday, Jan. 1 could be the warmest day of the week, with an afternoon high of 69 degrees, but a 40 percent chance for rain will linger for much of the day.

The first week of 2019 will be mild and cloudy, with highs in the low to mid 50s into next weekend. While the work week is likely to be overcast with showers or sprinkles, sunshine should return for Friday and Saturday.