Wet or dry this weekend? It's still not clear

Weekend weather is a big issue in the Carolinas, and this weekend's forecast carries a lot of importance to people for many different reasons.

There are a lot of outdoor events on the schedule, ranging from football to festivals.  And while we have a slightly better idea about the weekend weather than we had yesterday, there still are some unanswered questions.

At this point, on Thursday evening, a couple things are clear:

FRIDAY EVENING ... If you're headed to a high school football game or the AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway, you'll have no problems. The only exception to this is in the mountains, where showers and thunderstorms are possible Friday afternoon and evening.

For everyone else, though, the weather should be OK.  Forecasters expect a mix of clouds and sun with mild temperatures. Daytime highs should be in the low 80s, with evening temperatures falling into the upper 60s by midnight.

SATURDAY MORNING ... If your plans include children's sporting events, a golf game or tennis match, or perhaps heading to AutoFair or the Festival in the Park at Freedom Park, you're probably OK.

A cold front will be advancing on the Charlotte region Saturday, and clouds will be on the increase. On Wednesday, computer models were predicting the heaviest rainfall for Saturday night and Sunday, but the models now say the showers and storms will arrive by early afternoon.

SUNDAY ... This is good news.  Where the forecast looked very wet just 24 hours ago, it now has a drier appearance. Most of the computer models now predict the cold front will push east of the Charlotte region late Saturday night, allowing for partial clearing by noon Sunday.

That should clear the way for fans headed to the Panthers' game against the New York Giants, or for Festival in the Park and the AutoFair.

Now, for the uncertainty.  There are still some areas we're not sure about ...

HOW MUCH RAIN SATURDAY, AND WHEN? ... If your plans include attending a college football game or any of the previously mentioned outdoor events, it appears as if you'll get wet. But the computer models can't agree on whether the rain will be scattered and fast-moving, or if it'll be heavier and more prolonged.  The forecast trend over the past 24 hours has been for a faster-moving system Saturday, but it's a safe bet that you'll encounter some rainfall Saturday afternoon and evening.

RAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK?  The official forecast from the National Weather Service is for partly cloudy skies and seasonal temperatures Monday and Tuesday.  But if you look at some of the computer-generated forecasts, the Charlotte region still could be facing some very wet weather. Some of the models show a slow-moving low pressure system crossing the area, especially late Sunday and Monday.

We should have a better idea on this by Friday.