Total lunar eclipse tonight, with a First Alert Weather Day for Friday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A cold front will move through the Carolinas early tonight, with clearing skies and cooler air moving in. The total lunar eclipse occurs from 5:17AM to 6:42AM Tuesday morning. Election day will be mild and breezy.

A FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY has been issued for Friday, as widespread rain develops in the Carolinas from Subtropical Storm Nicole.

• Mostly sunny, milder, and breezy for Election Day Tuesday.
• FIRST ALERT: Widespread rain develops for Friday, from Subtropical Storm Nicole.
• Much colder by Sunday and into early next week.

We set a record high temperature at the Charlotte Douglas Airport on Monday, with a high temperature of 82 degrees, beating the previous record of 79 degrees, set in 2020.

A cold front will move through the Carolinas tonight, with cooler and drier air moving into the region. With clearing skies, it should be good viewing of the total lunar eclipse for early Tuesday morning. The total lunar eclipse begins at 5:17 AM and continues until 6:42 AM. Tuesday morning low temperatures will be in the 50s for the piedmont, and 40s in the mountains.

Election Day Tuesday will be mostly sunny and breezy, with afternoon high temperatures around 70 degrees for the piedmont, and in the lower 60s for the mountains. Wind gusts around 25 mph will develop at times.

Wednesday will remain mostly sunny and mild, with afternoon high temperatures in the lower 60s for the piedmont, and lower 50s for the mountains.

Thursday will feature increasing clouds, with some late day rain showers developing, as the outer rain bands of Subtropical Storm Nicole begins to move into the Carolinas. I would have a rain jacket with you if you are headed out to the Carolina Panthers game Thursday evening. Thursday afternoon high temperatures will range from the upper 60s for the piedmont, and upper 50s for the for the mountains.

Widespread rain showers are expected to develop on Friday, and become heavy at times, as Subtropical Storm Nicole moves toward the Carolinas. At this point, we do not anticipate organized severe weather, yet we will be keeping a close watch on the latest data, so keep checking back for more updates.

Subtropical Storm Nicole is expected to move over parts of the Bahamas on Wednesday, and make landfall along the Florida coast, near West Palm Beach by late Wednesday into Wednesday night. Nicole is expected to move across Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico briefly, before curving north and northeast toward the Carolinas on Friday. The center of circulation is expected to move across the Carolinas during the day Friday and into Friday night. There are still questions about the exact track Nicole will take, which will dictate rainfall amounts and impacts, so keep up with the latest WBTV First Alert forecast through the week.

Drier weather and cooler temperatures develop for the weekend and into early next week. High temperatures are expected to stay in the 60s for Saturday, with highs only in the 50s for Sunday and early next week, under mostly sunny skies.

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Keep up with the latest WBTV weather updates through the week!

Meteorologist Jason Myers

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