North Carolina – Low gray clouds drift across Charlotte this morning, casting a muted winter light over damp rooftops and quiet streets. The air feels crisp but steady, hinting at a more noticeable cooldown arriving as the region moves toward Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service, today stays mild for early December. Highs climb near 50°F, and calm winds gradually turn southerly this afternoon. While conditions remain mostly quiet, early winter patterns are clearly taking shape across the Carolinas.
Saturday brings even warmer air, with highs near 57°F under bright sun. Meteorologists now track a 20% chance of light rain late Saturday evening as a weak disturbance brushes the Piedmont. Any showers should stay brief, but damp surfaces combined with cooling temperatures into the upper 30s may create slick patches on bridges, ramps, and shaded corridors along I-77, I-85, and I-485. Drivers should plan slower speeds if heading out late.
Sunday marks the real winter turn. Sunshine returns, but highs peak near 47°F, and colder air settles quickly after sunset. Clear skies and light winds allow temperatures to fall into the mid-teens, introducing one of the season’s first sharper cold snaps. To be fair, no frozen precipitation is expected, yet early winter transitions can bring frost to exposed surfaces, particularly in rural stretches west of the metro.
Families running errands or decorating outdoors should bundle up Sunday morning. Pets and early walkers will feel the bite as dry air filters south.
Five-Day Outlook
• Saturday: Sunny, high 57°F.
• Saturday Night: Spotty rain chance, low 40°F.
• Sunday: Sunny, cooler, high 47°F.
• Monday: Sunny, high 38°F.
• Tuesday: Sunny, high 48°F.
