Raleigh, NC – Christmas promises to be one of the coldest days of the year in the Triangle, and a few snow gusts are possible. Leftover moisture from a cold front passing at night, combined with cold air pouring in from the north, can result in snow showers or even gusts at any time of the day, said WRAL meteorologist Peta Sheerwood.
That chance is slim, and not everyone will see flakes, she added.
In the counties of Orange and Durham, the chances of a gust were greatest around sunrise, when the rain turned into a short snowfall in some areas.
The rest of the day will bring a chilly breeze, with temperatures dropping to freezing.
The hottest part of Christmas Day came before sunrise for the Triangle. Temperatures will gradually get colder – to 32 degrees by late afternoon and at night in Raleigh into the 1920s.
Saturdays and Sundays will be cold and clear, with temperatures gradually climbing back to more normal daytime highs in the 1950s.
The likelihood of gusts contrasts with the western part of the state, where residents and vacationers woke up to a White Christmas.
The cold front that caused the chill in central North Carolina dropped some snow in the mountains of North Carolina on the night of Christmas Eve. Houses, decorated with lights and Christmas cheer, were also covered with a white blanket.