CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After several warm, dry days, rain is expected to become more likely across the Charlotte region this weekend, with Sunday, Oct. 11, the main window for widespread downpours, according to the forecast issued Tuesday, Oct. 6. Forecasters estimate 1 to 3 inches of rain could fall, with locally higher amounts possible, particularly near the mountains. The totals remain uncertain because the timing and path of a tropical system developing in the western Gulf of Mexico could affect how much moisture reaches the Carolinas and when it arrives. Rain chances are expected to rise later Saturday, with the wettest period currently forecast from Saturday night into Sunday. While the rain could provide a beneficial soaking, heavier pockets may cause localized flooding, forecasters said. The system is expected to strengthen as it moves toward the central Gulf Coast, but rain is possible in the Carolinas regardless of its eventual strength. Forecast guidance has shifted wetter, though officials caution that projections could still change as the weekend approaches. Before the rain, high pressure is expected to keep the Charlotte area dry through Friday. Thursday’s high temperatures could run about 10 degrees above average, followed by a modest drop Friday as a dry cold front passes. Cool air moving into the region with the weekend rain could hold Sunday highs in the 60s to low 70s. Rain may taper Monday, depending on the system’s track, with dry weather and a warming trend currently expected to return Tuesday.