Forecasters believe central North Carolina will get more snow this weekend than it has in years.
Why it matters: The National Weather Service in Raleigh says most models are calling for 5 to 13 inches of snowfall — snow that in some places will coat ice stubbornly lingering from last weekend’s winter storm.
The latest: A winter storm watch is in effect for nearly all of North Carolina.
- In the Triangle, snow is forecast to begin late Friday night. Most is expected to fall Saturday, and the storm will wind down around daybreak Sunday, according to NWS meteorologists.
- Gusty winds will accompany the storm, especially Saturday, forecasters say. That elevates the risk for power outages.
- NWS Raleigh calls for overnight lows in the single digits or teens from Sunday into early next week, keeping things frozen.
What they’re saying: In a Thursday morning briefing, NWS Raleigh meteorologist Nick Petro said snow totals will likely vary significantly around the forecast area.
- He jokes that “somewhere in central North Carolina, there’s going to be a lot of disappointed kids.”
- One thing that is clear is “we are stuck in this cold snap,” and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, he adds.
Zoom out: Weather models predict the storm will blanket parts of Virginia and South Carolina as well.
- Areas east of Interstate 95 are forecast to get more snow than the Triangle, perhaps over 1 foot, due to a low-pressure system moving in from the coast, Petro says.
- Like with tropical weather, a storm surge is expected to accompany the snow in the Outer Banks, Petro says. “It’s going to be just brutal out there.”
Threat level: This time, there’s less concern about freezing rain, Petro says, because the air is much colder.
- That is what fueled worries ahead of last weekend’s ice storm, which has kept kids out of school most of this week.
What’s next: Meteorologists expect to dial in snow totals as the storm approaches…