Forecast Last Updated at Friday, September 22, 2023 at 7:07AM

Wave to Ophelia

Enjoy the last day of Summer... Pleasant temperatures with increasing PM clouds. Low pressure east of South Carolina intensifies quickly tonight becoming Tropical Storm Ophelia. It will be on the NC Coast Saturday morning and then move slowly north. I cannot rule out a brief AM shower Saturday in Watauga and Ashe Counties with a a couple showers in Alleghany County and into SW VA. The rest of the NC mountains will be dry Saturday. Temperatures will be cooler Saturday with lots of clouds. Sunday and Monday are quickly warmer again and pleasant. Beginning Tuesday, we enter a period of gray, damp, cool weather.

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Friday Hi: 73 Lo: 52 Early valley fog, then parity cloudy; More clouds tonight; East wind 5-15 mph

Saturday Hi: 69 Lo: 52 Generally cloudy; Cooler; An AM shower or two passable from Watauga Co and points north; NW wind 5-15 mph, breezy

Sunday Hi: 74 Lo: 55 Partly sunny; Pleasant; Light wind, becoming SW

Monday Hi: 76 Lo: 56 Partly to mostly cloudy; Pleasant

Tuesday Hi: 69 Lo: 56 Generally cloudy; Light rain with fog developing; Turning cooler

Further Out

Wednesday - Overcast; Light rain at times with fog; Cool; High in the lower 60s; Low near 50 degrees
Thursday - Overcast; Light rain at times with fog; Cool; High in the mid 60s; Low in the lower 50s

Forecast Discussion

Fall begins tonight at 2:50 AM. It's fitting to have a pleasant last day of summer. Clouds increase tonight.

Low pressure east of SC today intensifies quickly as it heads to the NC Coast. It becomes Tropical Storm Ophelia. Ophelia makes a mess for Carolina beach goers tonight and Saturday, but the precipitation shield remains mostly to our east. I cannot rule out a stray shower Saturday morning in Watauga and Ashe Counties. Alleghany County will have a smidge more. The rest of the NC Mountains will be dry. Temperatures Saturday will be cooler with a NE flow and more clouds.

Ophelia's remnant low moves slowly north Sunday and Monday, leaving us with much improved weather Sunday and Monday.

Our real trouble begins Tuesday. An upper-level low hangs out in the Ohio Valley Tuesday through Thursday. High pressure centered in Eastern Canada pushes a cool wedge of air down the east side of the Appalachians. Sunshine will be difficult to find for 3-4 days. Areas of rain develop Tuesday and fog sets up, especially along the Blue Ridge. Temperatures become very cool. Wednesday looks like the soupiest of this set of days.

Elsewhere in the tropical Atlantic. Nigel is losing tropical characteristics in the North Atlantic. A disturbance west of the African Coast becomes the next named tropical system as it moves west. The next name is Philippe.

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