3/1 North Carolina Weather Noon: 36° Above Normal

Good afternoon. North Carolina. I'm Aaron Jolly. Fifty eight degrees and sunshine right now. In early March. Folks, this isn't a drill. In the next 24 hours., A warm air mass is parked over us. and westerly winds are tumbling down off the Appalachians, wringing out extra heat as they go. That's why the Triangle is climbing to 73 degrees today. The Piedmont pushes to 74. Even the mountains hit 68 under blue skies. We're running 36 degrees above normal. February is gone and spring just walked in without knocking. But enjoy every minute of this afternoon. Because a sneaky cold front is sliding in from the northeast tonight. The Triangle catches a quick shower between 7 and 9 P.M. Nothing dramatic. Clouds thicken after that. By morning, temperatures crash into the upper 30s and low 40s statewide. Monday is the gut punch. Cold air damming locks in against the mountains. The Piedmont tops out at 46 degrees. The Triangle? Forty four. That's a 36 degrees drop from today. Western North Carolina reaches 48 under gray, drizzly skies. The mountains might flirt with freezing rain Monday night, though that threat is fading. Tuesday stays cool and overcast with lingering rain chances. Then Wednesday. The wedge breaks. Warm air comes flooding back. Seventies return by midweek. and by Friday and Saturday, we're knocking on 80 degrees. Near record territory. Showers creep back in Thursday through the weekend, but the warmth is the real story. So today? Open those windows. Take that walk. Grill something. This is the kind of March afternoon that reminds you why you live here. Charge your phone and check back tomorrow. Monday's forecast is going to feel like a different state. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.