At least three chances of some snow over next week, Storm Likely next Week

[OpAck]

NWS Raleigh has issued their Winter Storm Watches...for the possibility of 2-4 inches of snow and an 1/8-1/4 of ice on top of that. That should make everything look "pretty" if you get to stay home...but that should make a crust-like layer when you go out to shovel.

Meanwhile, it could be a more substantial ice storm for areas just south of us.

Urgent - winter weather message
National weather service raleigh nc
802 pm est sat jan 8 2011

...significant winter storm possible across our region monday
Into tuesday...

.with cold air already in place...a low pressure system is
Expected to track east along the gulf coast sunday night and
Monday...with redevelopment off the south carolina coast monday
Night. This system is expected to move northeast along the
North carolina coast on tuesday. Snow is expected monday into
Monday evening...gradually transitioning to freezing rain monday
Evening into monday night.


Ncz007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-091015-
/o.new.krah.ws.a.0001.110110t1200z-110111t1800z/
Person-granville-vance-warren-halifax-forsyth-guilford-alamance-
Orange-durham-franklin-nash-edgecombe-davidson-randolph-chatham-
Wake-johnston-wilson-stanly-montgomery-moore-lee-harnett-wayne-
Anson-richmond-scotland-hoke-cumberland-sampson-
Including the cities of...roxboro...oxford...henderson...
Warrenton...roanoke rapids...winston-salem...greensboro...
High point...burlington...chapel hill...durham...louisburg...
Nashville...rocky mount...lexington...asheboro...pittsboro...
Raleigh...smithfield...wilson...albemarle...troy.. .
Southern pines...sanford...lillington...goldsboro...wadesbo ro...
Rockingham...laurinburg...raeford...fayetteville.. .clinton
802 pm est sat jan 8 2011

...winter storm watch in effect from monday morning through
Tuesday afternoon...

The national weather service in raleigh has issued a winter storm
Watch...which is in effect from monday morning through tuesday
Afternoon.

* locations affected: all of central north carolina is expected to
Be affected by this storm.

* precipitation types: snow is expected to develop over the
Western and southern piedmont during the morning...then
Overspread the rest of our region during the afternoon hours.
The snow is expected to transition to freezing rain and rain
Over the far southern zones...and freezing rain and sleet over
The rest of our region monday night...with freezing rain or
Freezing drizzle persisting through tuesday morning.

* accumulation: 2 to 4 inches of snow can be expected monday and
Monday evening throughout central north carolina. A transition
To freezing rain with ice accumulations of 1/8 to locally 1/4
Inch may occur monday evening into tuesday morning. The threat
Of significant icing will be primarily southeast of the piedmont
Triad region...and north of fayetteville and goldsboro monday
Evening into tuesday morning.

* timing: snow may begin around sunrise monday in the albemarle to
Wadesboro area...then reach the triad and possibly fayetteville
By noon. The snow may hold off until the afternoon for areas
Along and northeast of the triangle. The transition to mixed
Wintry precipitation will occur monday evening...with mostly
Freezing rain expected by tuesday morning.

* impacts: roads may become hazardous with the snowfall on
Monday...with hazardous conditions persisting into tuesday.

* temperatures: will only reach the mid to upper 30s before the
Snow arrives monday...then fall into the upper 20s monday
Afternoon over the western piedmont. Temperatures will be in the
Mid 20s to lower 30s monday night...possibly rising above 32 in
The fayetteville and goldsboro areas monday night. Highs tuesday
Will range only in the lower to mid 30s.

[lamishra]

No...not ice! That is what really brings everything to a grinding halt!

[boocake]

Pleeeeeeeease no ice! I really don't want to lose power!

[OpAck]

Originally Posted by lamishra

No...not ice! That is what really brings everything to a grinding halt!

Any amount of ice would be bad...but if we have to get it, it's best that it's under 1/8th inch. 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch is when problems with power and trees toppling really become a concern.

Although, there could be as much as 4 inches of snow on the ground at the time the ice comes...that could weigh things down considerably. So, yeah, it's best we get no ice at all. To be honest, based on the latest models, we might not get much of anything.