Will Groundhog Day be a turning point this winter?

The verdict is in: P. Phil has seen its shadow. Does that really mean six more weeks of winter? This graphic likely illustrates a lot of folks' feeling about the issue:

Setting aside the ability of a rodent to predict the weather(!), this - Monday - morning's temperatures around Mecklenburg County bottomed out in the teens. The frigid readings were a result of last night's clear skies, light winds, and the snow-covered ground. The good news is that afternoon highs will climb above freezing to near the 40º mark. Along with light winds and abundant sunshine, the outdoors will feel less glacial later today.

Tuesday morning will start out somewhat less brutal, with local thermometers "only" dipping into the low 20s. Clouds will fill in as the day progresses, and a light southwesterly breeze ahead of the next cold front will bring in warmer air such that afternoon highs tomorrow will top out in the mid-40s. 

Another chance of light precipitation will then move in after dark Tuesday and last into Wednesday night. Mecklenburg County looks to be far enough south that the temperature profile for this event will be warm enough to keep the precipitation as mostly rain. At the moment there is no expectation of accumulating snow locally, but it's something to keep an eye on as the week progresses.