Finally some rain arrives, but now flooding is a concern

A stalled coastal front has worked its way back west thanks to the "push" from an upper level disturbance out over the Atlantic. This combination will bring plentiful rainfall to Mecklenburg county the next couple of days as shown on this graphic:

A lot of runoff will occur as the rain will have difficulty soaking into the hard ground parched by the recent drought conditions. That has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Flood Watch until midnight tonight (Friday). Drivers should be aware of ponding on the roadways, and those who live near creeks and rivers should remain aware of rising water levels.

As a result of both the clouds and the precipitation local temperatures this afternoon will top out only in the mid-80s, a rare below-average reading for the summer of 2024. There will likely also be rumbles of thunder at times, but no severe storms are expected. Rain will continue tonight and into the first half of Saturday.

Tomorrow will then feature a split weather personality, beginning with clouds and showers before turning partly sunny after lunchtime. The heat will resume during the afternoon when local thermometers climb back toward the 90 degree mark. Heat indices look to climb into the upper 90s as higher humidity contributes to the return of typical July conditions.

Sunday's temperatures will range from the low 70s at dawn to the mid-90s during the afternoon under sunny skies. Meanwhile the heat index will breach the triple digit mark once again. The latter day of the weekend will thus bring back the need for both sunscreen and being wary of the effects of high heat and humidity levels.