Wet travel weather gives way to sunshine for Thanksgiving

After days of wet weather that snarled traffic for holiday travelers up and down the East Coast, Central North Carolina should see some afternoon sunshine on Thanksgiving.

Posted 1:57 p.m. Nov 27, 2014 — Updated 1:59 p.m. Nov 27, 2014

RALEIGH, N.C. — After days of wet weather that snarled traffic for holiday travelers up and down the East Coast, Central North Carolina should see some afternoon sunshine for Thanksgiving.

But Thursday saw a gloomy start, with cooler temperatures and light drizzle that got heavier in areas around Roanoke Rapids and north into Virginia. The chilly morning was the result of moisture wrapped around a fast-moving low pressure system.

"We were expecting this system to bring us a few sprinkles and light showers this morning, and that's exactly what's happening," WRAL Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.

Gardner said that system may even bring 1 to 3 inches of snow for areas in the North Carolina mountains.

By lunchtime, many spots in the central parts of the state will see plenty of sunshine as the back end of the system moves away, although temperatures will remain in the mid-40s.

Colder temperatures Friday will make for a chilly shopping day as the low drops to 28 degrees overnight. But a nice warmup over the weekend will see temperatures rise to a high of 63 on Sunday.

Before cool weather returns, the warmest temperatures will likely come Monday, the same day WRAL-TV will celebrate the annual Tower Lighting, transforming the station's transmission tower into a 300-foot Christmas tree wrapped in more than 2,800 multi-colored lights.

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