Forecast Last Updated at Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 9:55PM
48 Hours of Winter
A cold front blew through just before sunrise this morning. That front is the leading edge of arctic air that will produce a winter weekend. Only a "spit" of snow fell late Friday and Friday night. However, the arctic express today will give us a snowy, windy Saturday. Accumulations will greatly favor the west side of the Appalachians. See our Snow Accumulation Forecast Graphic for total snow accumulations by Sunday morning. Expect wind and bitterly cold temperatures today through Sunday. Sunday will be the coldest day of the winter thus far. Wind chills tonight will range from -10° in valleys to -30° on mountaintops.
Monday will be less cold but clouds will increase at night. A weak low will track across the Southeast Tuesday bringing light snow/rain; it bears watching but does not look like a significant event at this point.
Saturday Hi: 29 Lo: 8  Snow showers through the night; NW wind 20-30 mph with gusts to 60 mph generating subzero wind chills  |
Sunday Hi: 25 Lo: 13 AM snow showers or flurries then increasing sunshine; Very cold; NW wind 15-25 mph with gusts to 45 mph |
Monday Hi: 38 Lo: 26 Increasing clouds late; Light snow possible late Monday night; NW wind 5-15 mph becoming SW 5-10 mph |
Tuesday Hi: 37 Lo: 29 Cloudy; Light snow changing to light rain or drizzle |
Wednesday Hi: 46 Lo: 30 Scattered clouds; Seasonal temperatures |
Further Out
Thursday - Becoming cloudy again; Light rain developing (some freezing rain possible at the start east near the Blue Ridge); High in the mid 40s; Low in the lower 30s
Friday - Cloudy start with light rain or drizzle; Then partly cloudy; High in the mid 40s; Low in the upper 20s
Forecast Discussion
A weak low moved through the Southeast Friday night with little fanfare, but the arctic front that blew through just before sunrise today has a bite. Expect wind, falling temperatures, and snow showers through tonight. Snow showers will end as flurries Sunday morning. Total snow accumulation from tonight to Sunday morning will be less than 1" on the eastern edge of the Appalachians (including eastern Ashe and Alleghany Counties), 1"-3" for most of the mountain region, and 3"-6" at higher elevations right along the TN/NC line. A report or two on mountaintops right along the state line may exceed 6". See our Snow Accumulation Forecast Graphic for details.
Wind and cold will be increasing factors today through Sunday. Tonight and Sunday morning will be the coldest we have seen all winter. Wind chills tonight will range from -10° in valleys to -30° on mountaintops. Skies become mostly clear Sunday afternoon in spite of those cold temperatures.
The next weak system will quickly approach Monday night. Monday will be less cold with increasing clouds by evening. Tuesday will be generally cloudy and cool with light snow changing to light rain. Light snow could begin just before sunrise Tuesday. This does NOT look like a significant event.
Wednesday into Thursday will be less cold overall. But yet another low will zip across the Southeast Thursday night with rain possible (a period of freezing rain is possible as precipitation begins along the Blue Ridge Thursday). Light rain will end by Friday morning with partly cloudy skies by afternoon.
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