The Carolinas are bracing for a powerful storm that has much of our area under a Winter Storm Watch. The National Weather Service says parts of North Carolina should expect a major winter storm during the weekend and it could last into next week.
Forecast highlights:
- It is looking very likely that a strong winter storm will approach the Carolinas late Saturday and continue through Sunday and into Monday
- A winter storm watch has been issued for Charlotte northward, in effect from late Saturday until noon Monday
- A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for mountain communities
- It will remain quiet on Friday around the region, with a partly cloudy sky and highs in the lower 50s
- Saturday will start out dry, but the rain starts up late in the day before changing over quickly to a wintry mix Saturday night
- Heavy snowfall will start up into Sunday morning, especially north of I-85 into the mountains
- Accumulations will be highest north of Charlotte and into the mountains, with the high country expected to see 6-12 inches or more
- The metro area is looking at snowfall totals between 3-6 inches but there will be some spots north of uptown that could get closer to 10 inches
- Neighborhoods south of uptown into South Carolina could see just a few inches
- Forecast accumulations and precipitation types could change dramatically as the storm moves closer this weekend
- The bottom line is that a significant winter storm -- especially for December standards -- is coming this weekend, and you should be prepared
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