Roads dry out ahead of Friday commute; cold day ahead

Temperatures fell into the 20s overnight, freezing what little water was left on the roads after Thursday's soaking rain.

The mercury will continue to rise slowly through the morning, climbing to near freezing around lunchtime and into the upper 30s by the afternoon.

The threat of slick roads led the majority of Triangle school districts, including Wake, Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro, to start Friday calsses late.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill canceled Thursday night classes due to the weather. Classes will resume at 10 a.m. Friday. North Carolina State University classes before 10 a.m. Friday have been canceled.

"We did not end up seeing much wintry precipitation, but the roads were wet late in the day Thursday," WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. "The winds continued to blow overnight as we cleared out, and that really helped dry us out."

Dozens of state Department of Transportation crews were out early Friday treating problem spots, but no major issues were reported on the roads.

"It was a nice surprise to find that 98 or 99 percent of the area is dry," WRAL traffic reporter Brian Shrader said. "Any leftover water from last night is likely going to be icy this morning. All the roads north of the Triangle are clear. But still, be extra careful on bridges and ramps."

Bright sunshine will be out in force on the final day of the work week, but warm air won't find its way to the Triangle.

Overnight lows will dip into the 30s again Saturday morning before daytime highs climb into the 50s.

Warmer air pushes in on Sunday, as temperatures will reach the low 60s to close out the weekend.