Forecast Details for Zirconia, NC

Recent Locations: Sheffield Lake, OH Sierra City, CA Zirconia, NC

This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight: A slight chance of showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers after 3am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. West northwest wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely, mainly between 4am and 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Light north northwest wind becoming northwest 8 to 13 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Sunday: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 7am. Sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a northwest wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow showers before 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. Breezy.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 45.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Thursday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What are Contrails?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Contrails

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

A contrail is an artificial cloud, created by the passing of an aircraft.

Contrails form because water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines is suspended in the air under certain temperatures and humidity conditions. These contrails are called exhaust contrails.

Another type of contrail can form due to a temporary reduction in air pressure moving over the plane's surface, causing condensation. These are called aerodynamic contrails.

When you can see your breath on a cold day, it is also because of condensation. The reason contrails last longer than the condensation from your breath is because the water in contrails freezes into ice particles.

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

Weather Topic: What are Cumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Drizzle

Cumulus clouds are fluffy and textured with rounded tops, and may have flat bottoms. The border of a cumulus cloud is clearly defined, and can have the appearance of cotton or cauliflower.

Cumulus clouds form at low altitudes (rarely above 2 km) but can grow very tall, becoming cumulus congestus and possibly the even taller cumulonimbus clouds. When cumulus clouds become taller, they have a greater chance of producing precipitation.

Next Topic: Drizzle