Fair to open under cloudy skies Thursday

Local temperatures were in the upper 40s Wednesday evening, WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said.

"We've had a day of rain and chilly temperatures, but the widespread rain is coming to an end. It's scooting on out," Maze said. "It'll be a drizzly, misty, foggy evening, and a breezy one as well."

After a front passes across the state Wednesday night, the rain will begin to taper off just in time for the North Carolina State Fair, which opens at 3 p.m. Thursday.

"The rain should be tapered off by Thursday afternoon and we shouldn't see any downpours," Maze said.

A low-pressure system off the coast could still bring some rain across the region, however, he said.

The forecast high for Thursday is 51 degrees.

By Friday, highs could reach into the upper 50s, although a chance of rain will stay in the forecast.

"It's going to be rather dreary and chilly all the way through Friday," WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. "It's going to take a lot to get our temperatures back up."

Breaks in the clouds by late Friday will allow temperatures to creep toward 60 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.

Overnight lows on Sunday and Monday could drop into the upper 30s, however, Gardner said.