Forecast Last Updated at Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 6:40PM

Increasing Clouds Tonight; More Cold Around the Corner

Lots of sunshine today resulted in afternoon temperatures a bit closer to normal. Extra clouds will begin to roll in tonight ahead of our next cold front. A few showers are possible Thursday, but nothing widespread. Following the front's passage, temperatures will plunge again Friday and will remain chilly for the weekend, especially Sunday.

The 2009 RWC Calendars are on sale now. $2 from the sale of every calendar will go to the Hospitality House Combined Campaign. Ray will be at Mast General Store in Boone Sunday (Dec. 7) 1-3 PM. Mast Store will donate an additional $4.95 to the Hospitality House for every calendar sold during this event. For more details see the Mast Store Press Release.

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Wednesday Hi: 54 Lo: 29 Clouds returning overnight; Not as cold; South wind 5-10 mph, becoming gusty in higher elevations

Thursday Hi: 50 Lo: 29 Some midday light rain possible; Clearing and turning colder during the evening & night; SW wind 5-10 mph becoming NW 10-15

Friday Hi: 42 Lo: 19 Mostly clear; Colder; NW wind 5-10 mph

Saturday Hi: 42 Lo: 22 A mix of sun and clouds; Chilly

Sunday Hi: 31 Lo: 17 Scattered clouds; Much colder; Maybe an early AM snow flurry

Further Out

Monday - Partly cloudy; Turning milder; High in the upper 40s; Low in the upper 20s
Tuesday - Increasing clouds; Some showers possible; High in the upper 40s; Low in the lower 30s

Forecast Discussion

We'll start you off with a bit of climate trivia today. Just how cold was November? Your answer - November 2008 in Asheville will go down as the coldest November in 10 years, with an average temperature of 43.0 degrees. That makes it the 8th coldest November ever in Asheville. It was the coldest November since 1997 when the average temperature was 42.3 degrees. And since your wondering, the coldest November ever in Asheville was 1976 when the average temperature fell to 41.2 degrees.

Now on to the forecast...

After a bone chilling start this morning with lows generally in the upper teens to lower 20s, abundant sunshine resulted in afternoon temperatures warming a bit closer to normal.

Clouds will be on the increase tonight ahead of our next front. A few showers are possible during the day on Thursday, but nothing widespread is expected. We don't expect our rain gauges to get a workout. This cold front will pass through midday Thursday allowing temperatures to fall off during the afternoon and continue falling through the night, first along the TN/NC border and then the rest of the region.

Looking ahead, Friday will be chilly and well below average and will feature plenty of sunshine. A few extra clouds are likely Saturday with another cold day expected Sunday. A few flakes of snow may fly early Sunday morning, especially along the TN/NC border, but it will be very short lived.

Looking ahead long term, it's looking like a roller coaster pattern through at least mid-month. We'll have cold periods with a short term warm up in between, much like we're seeing this week. Over all, it looks like December is setting up to be colder than average, following in November's footsteps.

Have a great Wednesday - we're halfway there!

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Calendars also available from these fine merchants:

Boone area
• Shoppes at Farmers Hardware
• Mast General Store
• Footsloggers
• Highland Newstand
• Outersanctum Salon
• County Inn and Suites
• Stick Boy Bread Company
• Bare Essentials
• Conrad's Coffee
• Dan'l Boone Inn
• ASU Bookstore
• Mountain Lumber
Banner Elk/Newland area
• Ericks Wine and Cheese
• Foscoe Fishing
• Mountain Jewelers
• Avery Pharmacy
• Cannon Memorial Hospital Gift Shop
• Fred's General Merchantile
Jefferson area
• Sallie Mae's Emporium