Winter Storm Warning | North Carolina Weather 6 AM

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the North Carolina Weather Podcast. It's Monday, February 23rd.. And the mountains are fighting a completely different battle than the rest of us. Folks, up in the High Country right now, snow showers are falling. Wind chills near zero. Gusts hitting 45 to 55 miles an hour along the ridgelines. That's the kind of wind that rips shingles off. Winter Storm Warnings are up for Avery, Mitchell. And Swain Counties through midnight. Snow tapers by 11 A.M., but the damage is done. Highs barely touch 30 degrees. Tonight drops to 17. If you're anywhere near Boone or Asheville, roads above 3,500 feet are slick and ugly. Check DriveNC.gov before heading west. Now slide east into the Piedmont. Completely different planet. Sunny skies, high around 43 degrees by 3 P.M. Northwest winds at 12 miles an hour give it a bite, though. Tonight you're down to 25. By 5 A.M. Tomorrow, wind chill makes it feel like 17. Over in the Triangle, Raleigh hits 46 degrees around 4 P.M. Under mostly sunny skies. Gusty northwest wind, but nothing dangerous. Tonight settles near 27. Manageable cold. Grab a jacket, not a parka. Now the week ahead is where things get interesting. Tuesday starts a rapid warm up. Wednesday? The entire state pushes into the 50s and 60s. Raleigh and the Piedmont both hit 60 degrees. Even the mountains reach 57. That's nearly 30 degrees warmer than today's mountain highs. Then Thursday, rain rolls in. Steady, soaking rain. The kind that turns your commute into a mess. Friday dries out slowly. And the weekend.. Sunshine returns with upper 60s. Sunday could touch 68 in the Triangle. Spring knocking on the door. Charge your phone, check those wiper blades. And enjoy the sunshine while it's here. Wednesday is your golden day for anything outdoors. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.