We are under a winter storm warning, although nothing is expected until morning. All I know is that the grocery store was crowded as heck and it is bitter cold outside.
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a Winter Storm Warning… which is in effect from 4 am Thursday to 6 am EST Friday. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect.
Snow is expected to overspread the northern North Carolina mountains… and higher elevations of the foothills… early Thursday morning and continue to fall into midday. Snow will mix with and become predominately sleet and freezing rain during the afternoon and evening… except over the areas west of the French Broad. Here precipitation will transition to mostly rain during the afternoon. Two to four inches of snow accumulation with locally higher amounts over the higher elevations are expected. Along with the snow… a damaging accumulation of ice is expected along and just west of the Blue Ridge and possibly the upper French Broad valley.
I live at about 2100ft/640m and although we aren’t as high as what they normally consider “higher elevations”, we tend to follow that weather pattern.
Some webcams to watch:
Mt Mitchell – highest peak east of Mississippi at 6684ft/2037m. It can be the heat of August at the house but be near freezing at the peak. (webcam is useless after dark)
Cold Springs Ranch – near Max Patch Bald, 4629ft/1411m, part of the Appalachian Trail. Their weather often is the same as ours. Check out their weather station page. (this webcam is privately owned and best viewed in daylight)
Downtown Asheville – can look in 4 directions. Aim the camera to the north to view toward us. I’ll be waving. 😀