From snow to severe storms ...

A week ago today, life in Charlotte was at a standstill as we dug out from 7-8 inches of snow and some ice.

Today we're enjoying a second straight day of record-setting temperatures. And forecasters are keeping an eye on conditions that could produce severe thunderstorms Friday morning.

The severe weather threat is in the mid-South today, and parts of western Tennessee and northern Alabama and Mississippi could be in for widespread thunderstorm damage later in the afternoon and evening. On Friday, the biggest threat probably will be to our east, over central and eastern North Carolina.

But for four to six hours Friday morning, the Charlotte region will be in the weather bull's-eye as a cold front crosses the area.

Forecasters expect this evening's line of severe storms to weaken as it approaches the mountains in western North Carolina overnight. As the area of showers and storms moves into the central and eastern Carolinas on Friday, with the additional factor of daytime heating, severe weather could break out again.

But even though the storms will cross the western Carolinas during the morning hours, before daytime heating, there will still be a threat.

"The greatest risk from the storms will be caused by wind gusts that can reach 60 mph," said Alex Sosnowski, a meteorologist with Accu-Weather.

Very strong winds will be blowing in the mid levels of the atmosphere. Meteorologists say that any strong showers or storms that form along the front can bring those powerful winds to the surface.

Incidentally, the cold front will bring our heat wave to an end. Charlotte set a record high of 76 degrees Wednesday, and the temperature already had tied the day's record of 75 at 1 p.m., so another record is nearly certain to fall.

But we won't be dropping into the deep freeze, at least not immediately. Behind the front, Charlotte will still get highs in the mid 60s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

That "deep freeze" might be in our future, though. Computer models continue to hint at some much colder weather by the end of next week, and there continue to be hints of a possible winter storm somewhere in the Southeast in the time frame of next Thursday to Saturday.