Weekend Weather Shift and Tropical Update: Cooler Temperatures Hold Before Summer Storms Return

Rowan County will enjoy another day of below-normal temperatures as the effects of a lingering cold air damming pattern hold through the weekend. Patchy fog this morning will give way to partly sunny skies with highs in the low 80s today. Winds will remain light from the east-northeast.

Tonight will be partly cloudy with lows in the mid-60s. Sunday brings a slight uptick in humidity with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms after 2 PM. Storm chances increase into early next week as the summertime pattern returns, bringing more typical afternoon and evening thunderstorms to the area by Monday and continuing through midweek. Temperatures will gradually warm, reaching the mid- to upper-80s by Wednesday.

Tropical Update
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two tropical systems in the Atlantic.

In the central Atlantic, a tropical wave designated AL96 is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Dry air is expected to limit development over the next couple of days, but some gradual organization is possible early to mid-next week as the system moves northwestward to northward. Formation chances remain near zero percent through 48 hours and at 20 percent through seven days.

Farther east, a tropical wave has just moved off the west coast of Africa, producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form by mid to late next week as it moves west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph. Heavy rainfall is possible Sunday and Monday across portions of the Cabo Verde Islands. Formation chances are near zero percent through 48 hours and at 40 percent through seven days.

Rowan County Weather will continue to monitor both systems and provide updates if they pose any potential threat to the Southeast.