While there’s still some uncertainty in the forecast, the National Weather Service says it’s becoming more likely that North Carolina is in for a second straight weekend of wintry precipitation.
“This is going to be a very impactful storm, as we see it right now,” said meteorologist Nick Petro with the National Weather Service office in Raleigh during a Wednesday afternoon briefing.
Ninety-eight of the state’s 100 counties are under a winter storm watch or cold weather advisory. Only Clay and Cherokee counties are unnamed.
State emergency management officials are also warning residents to be ready for another disruptive stretch of winter weather.
“We know you just finished dealing with the ice and freezing rain from last weekend, but the forecast is giving us a sequel nobody asked for,” NC Emergency Management said in a Facebook post.
Forecasters expect snow and gusty winds to move into North Carolina Friday evening and continue through at least early Sunday, followed by several more days of bitter cold.
How is this different from last weekend’s storm?
The short answers: Snow, wind and flooding.
Snow
Unlike the last winter storm, which mostly dropped ice, Petro expects this system to produce more snow. Snowfall totals remain uncertain. Still, the National Weather Service in Raleigh released its first predictions Wednesday, calling for somewhere between six and 10 inches of snow across the Piedmont.
“When we’re three days out and the models are showing a perfect track for a big winter storm, it’s got three days to change,” Petro said, noting that he and his team will re-run forecast simulations before the weekend.
Wind
Another key difference in this storm could be the wind.
“There’s going to be some gusty winds, and that will create blowing and drifting snow that could give us those downed trees and maybe even some power outages,” Petro said.
Roads are expected to be dangerous from Friday night through the weekend, according to the weather service.
Flooding
In eastern North Carolina, forecasters are warning coastal flooding is likely late Saturday night. The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City says it expects two to four feet of inundation above ground level along with battering waves on the ocean side of the Outer Banks.
Meanwhile, wind gusts could be as high as 65 miles per hour on the Outer Banks, which would produce blowing and drifting snow.
And if the snowfall is on the higher end of the predicted range, there could be blizzard conditions - a whiteout - on the coast, an incredibly rare occurrence for eastern North Carolina.
Will the snow melt quickly after the storm passes?
It’s not likely. Behind the storm, there’s another surge of Arctic air that will keep high temperatures in the 20s Saturday and Sunday, even on the coast. The wind chill could be in the single digits or below zero at night.
“That theme continues Sunday, and then we get the really cold nights after that,” Petro said.
Those temperatures mean any snow that falls is likely to stick around. Melting and refreezing could keep roads slick days after the snow falls.
How to prepare
You may know the drill at this point, but the National Weather Service and state emergency management officials are urging residents to restock emergency supplies in their homes and cars. As a reminder those include:
- Food and water
- First-aid kit
- Blankets
- Flashlight and batteries
- Battery packs for electronics
- An alternate heat source, if possible, like a generator to power your HVAC system or firewood
Do not run a gas-powered generator or use a charcoal grill inside your home. They can both cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Check on your neighbors to make sure they’re okay, and be prepared for bitter cold after the storm, too.
Have questions? Check out our Winter Weather FAQ.
This article first appeared on NCLocal and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.