Night chill, maybe a few flakes could disrupt long thaw

Raleigh, N.C. — More than a week of unusually cold weather across the South will end this week – but not without a last parting shot at snow flurries Monday night and early Tuesday.

After hitting a high in the 30s Monday, "temperatures are tumbling into the 30s," WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said around 6 p.m.

Overnight, the mercury will fall into the mid to upper 20s as a cold front flies through the state.

"We expect clouds, maybe a few flurries," Maze said. "This system is going to be so much more moisture-starved than the last one that came on by, so it may be a few flurries, it may be a sprinkle.

"There's a very slight possibility of a small burst of snow, maybe in the northern coastal plain, late tonight and tomorrow morning," he continued.

After that last shot at wintry weather, the gradual warm-up begins.

"Temperatures are going up and up and up, but it's going to take a couple of days to get there," Maze said. "It's Thursday when we're going to aim for that nice warm-up."

Tuesday will see a high in the low 40s, Wednesday in the upper 40s, and then, temperatures will finally crest the 50-degree mark Thursday. Overnight lows remain in the 20s until Thursday night, when they are predicted to be in the low 30s.