A winter storm arrives late Wednesday morning, and significant impacts are likely in our area.
Precipitation will begin between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesday and will last off and on throughout the day.
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Both Wednesday and Thursday will be WRAL Weather Alert Days due to travel impacts.
Most snow falls north of Interstate 40, and accumulations north of the Triangle could exceed three inches. South of the Triangle, we expect a "mixed bag" of precipitation.
Keep reading below to see what we're tracking, what the possible scenarios are and when we expect to know more.
Where am I on a map?
It's important to know where you are on this map. This will alleviate any confusion as to "how much will I get?" or "when will it start?"
How much snow and ice will I see?
Our first look at snow-ice totals and timing came out Monday afternoon, and we've only made minor tweaks to the accumulation maps since then. The impact remains the same, though.
The most snow we see will be spread across our northern counties late Wednesday morning into very early Thursday.
Here's a look at projected snow amounts, subject to change:
- Our northeastern counties will likely see 3" of snow or more.
- The bull's eye for snow will be in Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia.
- Durham, Louisburg and Chapel Hill likely see 1-3" of snow
- Raleigh could get 1-2 inches of snow, but sleet could easily mix into the southern half of the county
- Areas south of Raleigh, including Fuquay-Varina, Smithfield, Goldsboro and Fayetteville, could get less than 1 inch of snow and sleet
Areas near and south of the Triangle are likely in the typical "battleground" of snow vs. sleet sets up over Wake County. The southern part of the county likely sees more mixing than the northern part of the county.
This means that Wake Forest likely sees more snow than Fuquay-Varina. All it takes is a difference of 1° at the 3,000-foot level to change precipitation from snow to sleet.
Here's a look at freezing rain accumulation:
- Areas south and east of the Triangle, including Wilson, Smithfield and Goldsboro, could get the most ice, up to 0.3 inches. Power outages will be possible.
- The Triangle and areas to the north and west will see less in the way of freezing rain/ice clinging to trees.
How will it affect me?
Snowflakes were spotted in Wake County before 10 a.m. This will start as a mix before precipitation fills in from west to east throughout the afternoon and evening.
From there, we'll see the storm off-and-on for about a 8-to-12 hour time span. We'll also get a small band Thursday morning that should last through 10 a.m.
The main concern is the impact to travel - both on the road and in the air. That is almost a given. Power outages will be possible if ice totals get to 0.25 inches or above.
Are you concerned about power outages?
The areas in dark pink below need to be watched for potential power outages. If ice totals get toward 0.25 inches, which is possible, that adds at least 500 pounds of weight onto power lines.
Will I have to shovel?
There's the chance for shoveling mainly from Wake County northward, especially since this snow won't be as light and fluffy as the one we saw back in mid-to-late January.
The jackpot for snow in North Carolina will be in the northeastern corner of the state. We could see several inches in parts of Nash, Edgecombe, Franklin, Warren, Halifax, Northampton and Mecklenburg (VA) Counties.
If you can, start shoveling shortly after the snow falls. Once temperatures drop to 20-25° overnight, it may get a little crunchy. Sleet may also mix in from Wake County southward.
What do you mean by 'significant' winter storm?
We've used the term 'significant,' because this will be playing a role on the roads and your schedules.
However, I would not call this 'crippling.' Those kinds of storms will put you out for a week, and those are the kinds you talk about years down the road. This does not appear to be one of those.
What are your thoughts on schools, appointments, etc.?
That decision doesn't come from us. That said, I would imagine there will be changes to school and/or scheduled appointments Wednesday and/or Thursday. Depending on how the storm pans out, it is possible that we see delays into Friday as well.
I have to travel Wednesday. What's it looking like?
The coast sees more rain than anything else, although some inland areas could see some freezing rain too. The western half of the state will see some snow and sleet. If you can travel Tuesday evening, I think that's your best bet for safety and timely purposes.
