North Carolina Weather 3/8 Morning - Thunderstorms Starting 6 AM

Good morning. North Carolina. I'm Aaron Jolly. Step outside and you're already at 67 degrees. That muggy warmth? It's sticking around while storms roll through. Showers and thunderstorms are moving in this morning, heaviest through mid-afternoon. Western North Carolina takes the brunt — storms fire up around 6 A.M. and hang around through early evening. You've got an 80 percent chance of getting soaked. Highs near 69 before cooling to 50 tonight. The Triangle and Piedmont get a later start. Clouds dominate the morning, then scattered storms develop after 1 P.M. The Triangle hits 78 degrees around 4 P.M., while the Piedmont reaches 77 by early afternoon. Storms taper off by midnight. Lows drop to 59. Here's the thing — some of these storms could pack a punch. Damaging winds and hail are possible, especially along the I-77 corridor this afternoon. The Storm Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk posted for our eastern areas. Keep an eye on the sky. Looking ahead through the week. Monday brings widespread fog before 9 A.M., then mostly sunny skies with highs in the mid to upper 70s statewide. Tuesday cranks up the heat — we're talking 82 in the Piedmont, 83 in the Triangle. And 79 in the mountains. That's flirting with record territory for early March. Wednesday pushes even warmer — mid-80s across the board. Charlotte and Raleigh could tie daily records. But A strong cold front crashes through Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing widespread rain and possibly severe storms. Behind it, temperatures tumble hard. Friday sees highs only in the low 60s, with overnight lows dipping to the upper 30s. Classic North Carolina — dramatic and unapologetic. See you this afternoon.