Temps drop to 30s with sleet, freezing rain, black ice risk in Raleigh, Durham
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NWS forecasts light snow with near 100% sleet or freezing rain for RDU.
- Temperatures fall from highs near 40 F to mid 30s, then to lower 20s overnight.
- NWS warns refreezing of wet spots may create black ice; hazards persist until Monday.
The Triangle could still see light snow this afternoon, but with “little or no accumulation,” the National Weather Service said on Sunday morning.
AccuWeather predicts “a coating to an inch.”
But the potential for sleet or freezing rain is “near 100%.”
Temperatures are cooler with highs around 40 degrees. But it’s expected to dip into the mid 30s this afternoon, with northwest winds gusting up to 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight, it’s expected to clear with much colder lows in the lower 20s and northwest winds up to 5 mph, “becoming light and variable,” NWS said.
NWS has issued a “hazardous weather outlook” into Monday morning.
As cold air pours into the area starting this evening, any puddles or wet spots on the roads are likely to refreeze, “causing black ice and slippery spots on roads and sidewalks tonight,” it said.
Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing by mid to late morning Monday.
How the forecast changed
Last week, meteorologists hinted at snow but warned that the forecasts would change.
On Wednesday, the chances for snow accumulation were very low, NWS said.
But by Thursday, those chances had increased slightly, and on Friday, meteorologists gave a prediction for snowfall totals. Trace amount to a half-inch of snow accumulation were expected from Sunday’s event, The N&O previously reported.
Forecasters did not expect that there would be higher amounts of snow accumulation because the precipitation would come during the day and the temperature would be warm on Saturday and above freezing on Sunday.
