March is known for the back n’ forth in our weather, and it’s showing just that in the first two days. We were in the 70s Saturday, but a cold front has sent us right back to winter.
The humidity is still very low. While the brush fire threat isn’t as high as it was Saturday, it’s still best not to burn Sunday.
- Sunday: Breezy with sunshine. Much cooler. Highs in the upper 40s.
- Monday: A freeze in the morning. Warming to the middle 50s.
- Tuesday: Some clouds but warmer. High in the mid-60s.
The start of spring brings temperature swing
Saturday, March 1, marked the beginning of meteorological spring, and brought a taste of the warmer weather coming with the season. [Daylight Saving Time begins next weekend, on March 9.]
It was just a taste, though. Highs will struggle to escape the 40s Sunday, despite sunshine’s best efforts.
Overnight lows then fall into the 20s, so make sure the kids are bundled as they head back to school Monday morning.
Tracking a severe weather threat next Wednesday
The WRAL Severe Weather Team is tracking the next storm, and it arrives Wednesday, with the heat of the day. The preliminary timeline for this line of storms would be between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
This storm will likely produce severe weather over the Mississippi River Valley Tuesday.
The greatest threat in North Carolina comes from damaging wind gusts. As the system gets closer, the WRAL Severe Weather Center will have a better gauge on the threat for hail or tornadoes.
“There is a limiting factor as to how strong these storms get, and that is the ‘instability’ or ‘storm fuel’ that’s available,” according to WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels.
That said, if any storm can gain some fuel, it would tap into some very strong winds above and bring them down to the surface.
Be checking back each day for updates, as we get to learn the system better starting Sunday and Monday.
Regardless of storms, it will be windy at times Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday will be dry, but the wind wrapping around the system could gust from 30 to 45 mph.
Is it me, or is the pollen starting up already?
According to the National Phenology Network, some spring leaves have begun blooming in the southern half of the state. That brings the return of pollen.
When do we spring forward?
We spring the clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9, 2025. That’s one week away.
This means that both the sunrise and sunset will be about an hour later than where they are now.
❄️Is winter over?❄️
The Feb. 19-20 snowstorm was the biggest snow event in the Triangle since Feburary 2020. Raleigh-Durham International Airport reported 2.6 inches of snow in February and 2.2 inches in January.
“That puts us at 4.8 inches so far this season, about an inch away from the normal of 5.7 inches,” WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said.
Last year, we had no snow and only one winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service. This year, we’ve had seven winter weather advisories issued with three decent winter weather events.
We’ve already exceeded WRAL’s seasonal forecast for snow in 2024-2025.
The long-term spring forecast makes it unlikely we get any more, but the Triangle has been known to get a freak March snowstorm.
7-day forecast for central NC
- Sunday: Clear and colder. High of 49, then lows drop to 20s overnight.
- Monday: Freezing to start. High of 55.
- Tuesday: Partly cloudy skies. Highs in the 60s
- Wednesday: Warmer, but with chance for thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s.
- Thursday: Partly cloudy. High of 59.
- Friday: Some clouds. High of 62.
- Saturday: Mild with a chance for thunderstorms. High 68.
