Zach’s First Alert Forecast: Wind Increases Friday, Rain on Saturday

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - No big changes to the forecast as we await the development of our Memorial Day Weekend storm system.

Most of our active weather Memorial Day weekend comes late Friday into Saturday. The heaviest of the rain Friday and most of Friday night will be between Savannah, Georgia and Wilmington, NC. The National Hurricane Center is watching the coastal low for any tropical development but isn’t expected to develop into a depression or storm. We don’t either despite warm waters off the coast. Even with rain starting to push in a little more Friday, rain chances inland are lower than directly on the coast. 0.25-0.5″ possible for coastal areas before rain chances rise Friday night. Dry air may limit rain Saturday morning before heavier rain develops throughout the day. The more downpours you see, the more the rain will pile up. Watch for standing water in the usual trouble areas.

Wind gusts could reach 35 mph inland with gusts up to 45 mph along the Crystal Coast. Wind gusts up to around 50 mph are possible across the Outer Banks Friday and Saturday. This could cause water to pile up along the shore and up the mouths of our rivers. 2-4 feet of inundation is possible up the mouth of the Neuse River and on eastern-facing shores along the Pamlico Sound. 2-3 feet of inundation possible up the Pamlico River.

Chances look scattered rather than widespread but rain will linger into Sunday and Memorial Day. Even if we see stretches of dry weather, rip current risk remains very high for all of Memorial Day Weekend.

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