A weirdly warm, windy, wet day

High winds ahead of a line of fast-moving storms led to scattered power outages in the Triangle this morning, and the National Weather Service warned that more gusty winds could be on the way.

The line of rainstorms moved through the Triangle about 8:30 a.m., just behind high winds with gusts that measured 43 mph at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. A wind advisory remains in effect until midnight, meaning wind gusts of 35 mph or higher are still likely.

Most of the damage from downed trees and power lines occurred east of U.S. 1. Falling trees struck a home and cars in Warren County. Other trees were reported down in Halifax, Nash, Sampson and Edgecombe counties.

The storm moved so quickly that rainfall totals measured only just over a tenth of an inch at RDU. But the ground already was saturated from rainfall over the prior 24 hours, creating conditions to bring down trees.

A cold front approaching from the west this afternoon and evening brings the potential for more high winds and heavy showers, said Ron Humble, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Raleigh.

The rains are not expected to be as widespread as this morning's storms but could become downpours in spots, and gusts of 40-45 mph are possible, Humble said.

The temperatures, meanwhile, are unseasonably warm, with highs today in the upper 60s. It was 67 degrees about 7 a.m. at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

On Thursday, however, the temperatures will turn much cooler with highs in the upper 40s.

And just when you thought the weather couldn't get any stranger, consider this: The National Weather Service says there's a 20 percent chance of snow showers on Thursday.