The National Weather Service forecast mostly sunny and hot conditions for Wake County on Friday, with afternoon highs in the lower 90s. West winds were expected near 5 mph, and the chance of an afternoon shower or thunderstorm was listed at 20 percent.
Friday night brings a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms with lows in the lower 70s and light easterly wind. Saturday’s forecast increases the rain chance to 70 percent, with showers likely in the afternoon and highs in the upper 80s.
The same 70 percent probability continues Saturday night before the chance decreases to 40 percent Sunday, according to the Wake County zone forecast. The forecast applies to the broader county zone and does not guarantee that every neighborhood will receive rain or experience the same temperature.
Outdoor September 11 ceremonies, concerts and weekend festivals are scheduled across the Triangle during the forecast transition. Thunderstorms can produce locally different rainfall, lightning and wind even when the countywide probability is moderate. National Weather Service forecasts are updated as new observations and model guidance arrive, especially when storm timing becomes clearer.
The broader outlook called for partly cloudy conditions Sunday with a 40 percent rain chance, followed by mostly clear weather Monday through Wednesday and highs returning to the lower 90s. Overnight lows were forecast near 70 Sunday and in the upper 60s during the clearer early-week period overall.
At the edition deadline, precise thunderstorm timing and neighborhood rainfall totals were not predictable from the zone forecast alone. The next documented developments will be updated hourly forecasts and any watches or warnings and organizer notices for Saturday outdoor events if storm timing becomes more certain.