Very warm and dry through Saturday, but Easter Sunday looks wet

This Friday morning is beginning under cloudy skies for most of Mecklenburg County. The overcast should clear away by the lunch hour, with sunshine becoming the rule to begin the first weekend of April. Local thermometers will boost into the low 80s again today, accompanied by southwest breezes gusting over 20 mph at times.

Given the warm moist airmass in place temperatures will only drop into the low 60s by dawn Saturday. Tomorrow's weather look to be a carbon copy of today's, with more sunshine, southwesterly winds, and afternoon highs in the mid-80s. Conditions will then begin to deteriorate Saturday night.

A strong cold front will cross the Appalachians tomorrow night, bringing clouds and showers ahead of significantly cooler air. Those Easter Sunday sunrise services just may get squeezed in before the rain arrives, but clouds will likely prevent seeing much of the sunrise itself. By mid-morning Sunday showers will move in across the entire area and last the remainder of the day, with a possible rumble of thunder Sunday afternoon. 

Here are NWS Wakefield's expected rain totals for this event:

Temperatures Sunday will top out in the low 70s during the early afternoon hours before beginning to drop as the cooler air behind that front filters into the region. Next week will begin with much cooler temperatures.