The morning started gray with scattered showers — nothing heavy, just the kind that wets the pavement and keeps the umbrellas out until lunch. By 2pm the rain moves on and we're left with clouds and a high near 66°F. Northwest wind picks up slightly through the afternoon. Tonight drops to 41° under clearing skies, so if you're out late, bring a jacket. Tomorrow flips the script entirely: sunny and 71°.
The Taubman Museum is open 10am to 5pm today, and the current exhibitions include contemporary work worth an hour of your afternoon. Center in the Square keeps the same hours — planetarium shows run at 2pm and 3:30pm if you want to dodge the weather entirely. Mill Mountain Theatre has evening performances of their spring production starting at 7:30pm; the theater's tucked into Center in the Square's second floor. Downstairs at the flats, RND Coffee is open until 2pm if you need a mid-morning cortado before the museum.
If the clouds part after 2pm and you want to get outside, the Roanoke River Greenway is a short walk west from the flats — the section toward Wasena Park is flat, paved, and about 2.5 miles out and back. Mill Mountain's summit trail will be damp underfoot this afternoon, but by tomorrow it'll be dry and ideal for the sunset view. The greenway's the safer bet today unless you're comfortable with mud. Either way, it's jacket weather until the sun breaks through.
Tomorrow's the day to plan around: sunny, 71°, light west wind. That's Elmwood Park picnic weather, that's a long greenway ride, that's the kind of Friday afternoon that empties the offices early. Tonight's clear skies mean good stargazing if you're up on Mill Mountain after dark, though it'll be chilly — low around 41° with gusts up to 21 mph.
At the flats, A Few Old Goats is open downstairs from 3pm, and by then the rain will be done. The courtyard stays damp through the evening, but the patio furniture dries fast once the wind picks up. RND's got pastries and pour-overs until 2pm if you're working from the apartment today. Tomorrow's sunshine will bring everyone back outside — tonight's just the quiet before that.