Snow continues to blanket much of western North Carolina, with several mountain communities reporting seven to nine inches by early afternoon.
Areas like Maggie Valley, Balsam, Sylva, and Clyde have seen some of the highest totals so far, according to reports from the National Weather Service.
As the snow tapers off this evening, dangerous cold becomes the main concern. Northwest winds will begin gusting late this afternoon and evening, with higher elevations seeing gusts near 50 to 55 miles per hour.
Those winds may lead to areas of blowing snow, briefly reducing visibility even after snowfall ends.
Wind chills will drop well below zero tonight into Sunday morning, especially in the mountains.
Many locations are expected to feel between 10 and 15 degrees below zero, with the coldest wind chills occurring around daybreak Sunday…