Areas north of Triangle under expanded Level 2 risk for severe weather

By WRAL Severe Weather Center

Raleigh, N.C. — After nearly a week of dry weather, scattered thunderstorms are possible for the next few afternoons.

Most of the WRAL viewing area is under a Level 1 risk for severe weather on Friday, and areas from the Triangle northward, including Durham and Roxboro, are under a Level 2 risk.

WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said strong winds and hail will be the biggest threats, and there is a small chance for isolated tornadoes. The thunderstorms should move in sometime after 5 p.m. and will continue into the evening.

Before the severe weather, much of Friday will be sunny and quiet.

“We’ve started up our unsettled weather pattern that will last through the weekend,” WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. “Storms could pop up anywhere [Friday], but they’re not likely to be very widespread.”

Storms on Friday will be isolated with a 30% chance for rain. Those chances will increase to 40% on Friday night.

In the Triangle, rain and storms will be most likely in the afternoon and evening hours, but they will be isolated, so don’t cancel your plans. We’ll keep monitoring them to see if high school football games will be impacted.

Parts of the deep south will be under a Level 4 risk, mainly in Mississippi.

On Friday, Raleigh will top out at 83 degrees.

The best chance for thunderstorms will be Saturday with a 50% chance of rain.

Rain chances will then drop back down to 30% for Sunday.

“No day is going to be a washout this weekend and not everybody is going to see rain,” said Campbell. “These are more along the lines for hit-or-miss summer-time thunderstorms.”

Storms and rain will also be possible Saturday afternoon, but again, they will be scattered. The good news is the rain on Friday and Saturday could wash away some of the pollen that seems to be covering everything.

According to Campbell, although pollen counts typically peak for about three weeks, this week was probably the worst of it.

Campbell said that pine pollen is the yellow pollen that gets all over everything, but it may not be what’s making your eyes water.

“Some of the pollens that cause the biggest issues are the ones that you really can’t see,” Campbell said.