GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A strong front remains on target to push through eastern North Carolina Saturday afternoon. Air temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s will help fuel thunderstorms along the front, potentially pushing them from the strong to severe category. Wind will be the threat most are faced with as the breeze will be strong even before the storms show up. Sustained winds early Saturday morning will range between about 15 to 25 mph out of the south-southwest with gusts ranging between 25 to 35 mph. The wind speeds will increase in the afternoon as the storms roll in, reaching 20-30 mph sustained with 40-50 mph gusts. Wind gusts within any storms could reach 60 mph. Small hailstones will be possible as well.
Timing for the storm potential is focused around the midday to sunset time frame. The storms will be scattered along the frontal boundary, so a wide discrepancy in rainfall between those who get thunderstorms and those who don’t will certainly exist. Most should expect to see about a quarter to half an inch of rain will the possibility of an inch for those who see multiple thunderstorms pass over head. Once the front clears the coast around midnight, the threat of severe weather will drop to zero and we’ll be able to finish the weekend out on a calmer note.
