Hurricane Michael Brings Rain & Wind

Hurricane Michael will make landfall in the Florida Panhandle today and will rake across the Carolinas tomorrow. Ahead of Michael, an old front is retreating northward. This front will work with a warm, juicy and tropical air mass over the area to produce a scattering of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening as it lifts northward. Storms will be locally heavy.

After a break in the action later tonight and early tomorrow, Michael starts to affect the Triangle.

Winds will start to increase in the afternoon and rain will break out later in the day. Rain will become quite heavy tomorrow night and winds will become strong with gusts to 40 mph or so likely. The winds will be strong enough to bring down a few trees and power lines here and there, so you’ll want to be prepared for power outages. But, the greater concern for us is going to be flooding thanks to a general 2-4 inches of rainfall, coming in a 12- to 15-hour period.

There can be some locally higher amounts, especially to the south and east of the Triangle. Be ready to get out of flood-prone areas if you’re in one. Those areas south and east have the potential to get locally higher wind gusts as well.

Meanwhile on Thursday, a cold front will be moving our way from the northwest and it will move through right behind Michael.

The wind and rain from Michael will taper off around daybreak on Friday and it will dry out, clear out and turn cooler during the day.

This cold front will usher in a much cooler air mass and finally bring us some fall-like weather.

For the first time this month, we will see a high below 80 on Friday…in fact, we’ll barely get to 70!

It will come up short of 70 on Saturday and only reach the low 70s on Sunday. The average high in mid-October is 73, so we’ll be running a little below normal for the first time in a while.

We will remain dry through the weekend and perhaps Monday as well. Another cold front will push in from the northwest by Monday night and bring us our next chance for rain.

Have a great Hump Day!

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