Forecast Last Updated at Friday, August 17, 2018 at 5:17PM

Increasingly Active

The transition to a more unsettled pattern got underway today as widely scattered thunderstorms developed this afternoon and early evening. They developed near the eastern escarpment, while the western half of the High Country missed out. But if it rained on your piece of real estate, it really rained. What's left heads east and fizzles out as the sun goes down. A front approaches from the northwest Saturday, doesn't quite get here, then retreats north Sunday. The front provides a better focus of showers and thundershowers this weekend with Saturday the wetter of the two.

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Friday Hi: 75 Lo: 62 Partly cloudy; Isolated evening thunderstorms; West wind 5-15 mph

Saturday Hi: 66 Lo: 60 Mostly cloudy; Scattered showers & t-showers; Not as warm; SW wind 5-15 mph

Sunday Hi: 67 Lo: 60 Mix of clouds & sunshine; Widely scattered afternoon showers and t-showers; SW wind 5-15 mph

Monday Hi: 66 Lo: 59 More clouds than sun; Scattered PM showers and t-showers

Tuesday Hi: 66 Lo: 57 Partly sunny; Scattered afternoon showers & t-showers

Further Out

Wednesday - Partly cloudy; Perhaps a leftover daytime shower; Cooler at night; High in the mid 60s; Low in the mid 50s
Thursday - Lots of sunshine; Very comfortable; High in the mid 60s; Low in the mid 50s

Forecast Discussion

This weekend, particularly Saturday afternoon is highlighted by increased shower coverage. It all began Friday as high pressure that provided a mostly dry string of days lost its muscle and moved east. Widely scattered afternoon and early evening showers and storms is the result (and some good ones at that).

Saturday and Sunday, a front approaches from the northwest, but doesn't quite make it here and essentially settles over Virginia. Saturday afternoon is the wetter of the two days. In fact showers likely continue through overnight hours bringing the bulk of this weekend's rain from Saturday afternoon to early Sunday morning.

Another front moves through Wednesday morning and this one has enough "umph" to make it past western NC. Monday and Tuesday remain unsettled ahead of the front and then we'll have a cooler and less muggy couple of days the middle to end of next week.

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Sugar Mountain Resort’s rebuilt and expanded bike park is open. Trails are wider; expert terrain is better than ever; beginner and intermediate line options offer choices from the summit to the base, and added features like rollers, pumps, and jumps are scattered about the park. Magic Cycles, located in the base lodge, offers helmet, body armor, and bike rentals, bicycle repairs, and a selection of necessary items to get you started and keep you rolling.

The Summit Express, a bike friendly lift, operates Fridays through Sundays until early September.

Savings on winter season passes until October 17.

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