WRAL Weather Alert Day: Damaging winds & hail possible early Thursday morning
Thursday is a WRAL Weather Alert Day, with a Level 2 risk for severe storms in the morning.
Isolated tornadoes, damaging winds and hail will be possible Thursday as a powerful front crosses North Carolina. It is the same front that produced deadly tornadoes that hit Oklahoma earlier this week.
WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said the best chance for storms will be during the morning commute. Make sure you give yourself some extra time on the roads this morning. You can tune into 99.3FM in Raleigh and 96.5FM in Durham for traffic updates.
Thursday morning is a WRAL Weather Alert Day
Thursday is a WRAL Weather Alert Day because of that chance for severe storms.
Here's a look at when storms are likely to be the most serious.
- Thursday morning: WRAL Weather Alert Day continues with a Level 2 risk for severe storms.
- Thursday afternoon: Rain chances fall to 30%. Highs in the mid 80s.
- Thursday evening: Dry with lows dropping into the 60s overnight.
- Friday morning: 20% chance for showers but mostly dry.
- Friday afternoon: Another round of storms possible with level 1 risk for southern counties. Highs in the upper 70s.
Live DUALDoppler5000 | Check conditions across NC: WRAL Live Cam Network | What is a WRAL Weather Alert Day?
Wednesday saw a line of storms roll through the southern part of the state, and one person died after a tree fell on their car in Gaston County.
The next round will be a more widespread threat, but the storm energy is not nearly as high and should last from 4 a.m. Thursday until about 10 a.m.
"If we do see a severe storm, it would probably be more on an isolated basis," said WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze.
The rain should clear out by lunchtime, and the remainder of the day should be dry.
It's going to be another hot and muggy day, with temperatures climbing into the 80s by the afternoon.
Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday,
Another round of non-severe storms is likely Friday afternoon.
We now have a level 1 risk for our southern counties. Damaging winds will be possible in the afternoon as our cold front arrives. Scattered storms will be possible Friday afternoon.
Gardner said damaging winds will be the biggest threat, and rain will be heavy at times on Friday.
After a wet Friday, Mother's Day weekend kicks off with cooler, more spring-like temperatures and plenty of sun.
Clouds clear out as the day goes by on Saturday, and the high will reach 74 degrees.
On Sunday, for Mother's Day, the high is 79 degrees with mostly clear skies – a perfect day for an outdoor brunch or garden visit to celebrate mom.
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- WRAL Azalea Gardens: Everything you need to know for your visit
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7-day forecast for central NC
- Thursday: WRAL Weather Alert Day: Showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s.
- Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. High of 78.
- Saturday: Mostly clear. Highs in the mid 70s.
- Sunday: Clear and dry. Highs in the low 80s.
- Monday: Partly cloudy skies and warmer. Highs in the low 80s.
- Tuesday: Partly cloudy skies and still warm but with comfortable humidity levels. Highs in the low 80s.
- Wednesday: Mostly cloudy skies with showers and storms still looking possible. Highs in the upper 70s-lower 80s.
"Over the weekend, we get the nice, refreshing feel back," said Campbell.
Prepare for a busy 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will see 15 to 20 named storms in the Atlantic basin, according to researchers at North Carolina State University.
The number of named storms is significantly higher than the long-term average and moderately higher than recent 30-year averages, according to Lian Xie, professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences at NC State.
In 2024, NC State researchers predict:
- 15-20 named storms
- 10 to 12 may grow strong enough to become hurricanes (the historical average is six)
- Three to four becoming major hurricanes
Meanwhile, forecasters at Colorado State University are calling for 24 named storms in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. That is higher than the average year, when 14 storms earn a name.
CSU forecasters say 11 storms will reach hurricane strength, up from the average of seven, and five of those hurricanes could be "major," that is Category 3, 4 or 5, with winds over 111 mph.
