Cold wind blows in

Tuesday's temperatures will top out in the low 50s, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said, a serious dip from the sunshine and warmth we saw last weekend.

Posted 10:29 a.m. Apr 7, 2009 — Updated 4:28 p.m. Apr 7, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — A late season cold snap is bringing snow to the North Carolina mountains and could bring a freeze to much of the rest of the state Tuesday night.

In the Triangle, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner predicted a mostly cloudy day with winds blowing cold gusts of up to 20 mph. The high for the day was only expected to reach the mid-fifties. Overnight, it will cool down significantly, with some areas dipping below the freezing mark.

Wednesday will be a little milder, Gardner said, but will remain cooler than normal, with temperatures again in the 50s and another cold night to follow, Gardner said. By Thursday, sunshine returns and warms the air into the 70s.

The National Weather Service has issued freeze watches and warnings for early Wednesday morning for almost all of North Carolina expect the Outer Banks, where lows should be in the 40s, and the mountains, where freezing temperatures are still expected in April.

Forecasters say snow was falling early Tuesday in the mountains, with 2 to 3 inches reported on Beech Mountain. The weather service says up to 4 inches of snow could fall in higher elevations and 1 to 2 inches in valleys before the storm ends Tuesday night.

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