Weather Briefing for Wednesday, June 30, 2021

OUTLOOK

High pressure off the Atlantic coast weakens as a cold front drops into the area by Friday. Increasing moisture between the high and cold front will allow showers and thunderstorms to develop each day with increasing coverage through Friday night. The front moves east of the area by Saturday and Independence Day. Near seasonal conditions expected early next week.

Weather Alert

…DESNE FOG ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS THIS MORNING…

Areas of dense fog, reducing visibility to 1/4 mile or less, will persist across the valleys of the North Carolina mountains this morning. Motorists traveling along I-40 from the Tennessee border to the greater Asheville area, along I-26, and other roads and highways across the mountains should be prepared for sudden deterioration in visibility. Slow down and use low beam headlights if dense fog is encountered. The fog should improve by around 900 AM.

—BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT—

Weather Sponsor

Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC

All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.

DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting Macon Media for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response.

Their phone number is 371-4718.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.
— END SPONSOR SEGMENT—

National Weather Map for Today

General forecast through Thursday Night

Franklin area

Today

A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Widespread dense fog, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 3am. Patchy fog before 1am, then patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8pm. Lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 80%.

Friday

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Highs in the mid-70s. Chance of rain is 90%.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 60. Chance of rain is 70%.

Highlands Plateau

Today

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Widespread dense fog, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 5am. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows around 60. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Widespread dense fog, mainly before midmorning. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the mid-70s. Winds out of the southwest 3 to 7 mph. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 7pm. Cloudy, with lows around 60. Winds out of the southwest around 5 mph. Chance of rain is 70%.

Friday

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 7am, then showers between 7am and 9am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 9am. Highs near 70. Chance of rain is 90%.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 1am and 2am, then a chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-50s. Chance of rain is 70%.

Otto area

Today

A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Widespread dense fog, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 4am. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 80s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 8pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 70%.

Friday

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 7am, then showers between 7am and 3pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3pm. High in the mid-70s. Chance of rain is 90%.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between midnight and 2am, then a chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 60. Chance of rain is 70%.

Nantahala area

Today

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Widespread dense fog, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 80s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 4am. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-60s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the upper 70s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low in the mid-60s. Light winds out of the southwest. Chance of rain is 80%.

Friday

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Highs in the low-to-mid 70s. Chance of rain is 90%.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 60. Chance of rain is 60%.

HAZARDS

Scattered thunderstorms, mainly across the mountains, northeast Georgia, and the western Upstate, are expected through early this evening. Cloud-to-ground lightning and brief, heavy rainfall are the main threats.

Thursday through Monday…

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to increase in coverage ahead of a cold front Thursday and remain over the area Friday and Saturday as the front slowly crosses the area. Areas of heavy rainfall will be possible, potentially leading to isolated flash flooding.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK

Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Wed Jun 30 2021

For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. A broad area of low pressure, associated with a tropical wave, is located about midway between the west coast of Africa and the Windward Islands. This system is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms that continues to show some signs of organization. Environmental conditions appear generally favorable for development, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next few days while the system moves west-northwestward at about 20 mph. Interests in the Windward and Leeward Islands should closely monitor this system as it will likely be moving through that region on Friday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…50 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…70 percent.

2. Disorganized showers and thunderstorms continue in association with a tropical wave located a couple of hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Significant development of this system is unlikely while it moves quickly westward to west-northwestward at 20 to 25 mph, passing through the Lesser Antilles today and then across the eastern and central Caribbean Sea later this week. Regardless of development, this system could bring locally heavy rainfall to portions of the Lesser Antilles during the next couple of days.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent.

Air quality is in the upper range of green for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the upper range of green.

Fire and Smoke Map
(There are no significant sources of smoke in the region as of 3am on 04-22-2021.)

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (3.4 out of 12) today with Grasses and Plantain being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (2.6 out of 12).

Weather Extremes for Macon County on June 30th

Highest Temperature 99°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2012
Lowest Temperature 44°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1974
Greatest Rainfall 2.30 inches in Highlands in 1971
Greatest Snowfall (No snowfall recorded on this date since records started being kept in 1872)