RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – A winter storm watch will be in effect for all of central North Carolina from Thursday evening through Saturday morning.
WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING: Accumulating snow, sleet, and ice. This is looking like a mainly freezing rain event for counties in the Sandhills and the Coastal Plain.
TIMING: Mainly Friday afternoon and evening, but some snow and mix will be possible Thursday night behind a cold front.
Our next weather maker will arrive on Thursday. Rain will be likely as a cold front moves through during the day. After highs in the 40s, temperatures will fall late in the day and some rain will change to light snow in the afternoon and evening.
The best chance for this to happen will be in areas from the Triangle to the northeast. Any light snow will end early Thursday evening. Up to an inch of snow will be possible in those areas.
That front will stall along our coast on Friday and low pressure will move up along it. With cold arctic air in place, snow will develop during the afternoon and be around through Friday night. A winter storm watch will be in effect for mainly Friday across all of central North Carolina.
Snowfall amounts should be heaviest right across central North Carolina as it could reach up to 6 inches in some areas, including Raleigh. Lesser amounts are expected toward Virginia. Ice accumulations in the southern Coastal Plain and southern Sandhills could reach up to 1/3 inch.
Toward Fayetteville and Goldsboro some freezing rain and sleet will also be possible. What we get will all depend on where the area of low pressure sets up. The closer the low gets to central North Carolina, the more likely it is we will have a mix. The farther away the low pressure drifts, the better chance the cold air keeps our precipitation type as snow.
The storm system will move away early Saturday with just some early lingering snow flurries. It will then be dry the rest of the weekend, but it will stay cold. Highs on Friday will be in the 20s, look for 30s on Saturday and by Sunday highs will make it to 40.
Next week will be generally dry and continue cold with highs staying well below normal.
WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING: Accumulating snow, sleet, and ice. This is looking like a mainly freezing rain event for counties in the Sandhills and the Coastal Plain.
TIMING: Mainly Friday afternoon and evening, but some snow and mix will be possible Thursday night behind a cold front.
Our next weather maker will arrive on Thursday. Rain will be likely as a cold front moves through during the day. After highs in the 40s, temperatures will fall late in the day and some rain will change to light snow in the afternoon and evening.
The best chance for this to happen will be in areas from the Triangle to the northeast. Any light snow will end early Thursday evening. Up to an inch of snow will be possible in those areas.
That front will stall along our coast on Friday and low pressure will move up along it. With cold arctic air in place, snow will develop during the afternoon and be around through Friday night. A winter storm watch will be in effect for mainly Friday across all of central North Carolina.
Snowfall amounts should be heaviest right across central North Carolina as it could reach up to 6 inches in some areas, including Raleigh. Lesser amounts are expected toward Virginia. Ice accumulations in the southern Coastal Plain and southern Sandhills could reach up to 1/3 inch.
Toward Fayetteville and Goldsboro some freezing rain and sleet will also be possible. What we get will all depend on where the area of low pressure sets up. The closer the low gets to central North Carolina, the more likely it is we will have a mix. The farther away the low pressure drifts, the better chance the cold air keeps our precipitation type as snow.
The storm system will move away early Saturday with just some early lingering snow flurries. It will then be dry the rest of the weekend, but it will stay cold. Highs on Friday will be in the 20s, look for 30s on Saturday and by Sunday highs will make it to 40.
Next week will be generally dry and continue cold with highs staying well below normal.
ALERT DAY: Snow keeps falling in central NC, up to 5″ of snow expected
Look for snow to break out mid-afternoon between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. with areas south of the Triangle having sleet and some freezing rain. Those areas will transition to only snow by early evening.
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