Cold front brings chilly temperatures, freeze warning

The Triangle saw a high of 63 degrees shortly after midnight, then temperatures started to fall as a cold front passed through, WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel said. Temperatures were in the 40s in most areas by the afternoon. 

The front brought some light rain to central North Carolina during the afternoon.

"The best time for steady rain is going to be after midnight," Fishel said. 

Showers could last into the first half of the day Saturday. 

Friday night football fans will need jackets as temperatures will fall into the lower 40s by 7 p.m. 

Low temperatures will continue to drop throughout the weekend, with lows on Saturday, Sunday and Monday falling into the 30s. 

"On Saturday once the sun goes down, temperatures are going to drop like a rock. We could be looking at frost and a possible freeze across parts of the area," Fishel said.

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for more than 20 counties, including Wake, Durham and Orange, from late Saturday night until 9 a.m. Sunday. 

Those low temperatures can kill crops, house plants and other sensitive vegetation kept outdoors. Such plants should be protected from the cold weather.

By Halloween on Monday, the highs will be inching up to 60 degrees again, but overnight lows will stay in the 30s.

"It's unseasonably cool," WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said noting the normal high is 69.