Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Alleghany, North Carolina

2022-12-23 to 2022-12-24 · Alleghany, North Carolina

Event narrative

Wind chill values were around or below twenty degrees below zero. Lowest values were thirty-two degree below zero at Sparta, twenty-eight degrees below zero at Laurel Springs, and twenty-six degrees below zero at Glade Valley.

Wider weather episode

In advance of the arrival of a strong, cold Arctic high pressure system, northwest winds were strong to damaging across the region with gusts within the 58 to 62 mph range during the morning of the 23rd. As the center of the Arctic high arrived, winds were not quite as strong, but falling temperatures to below zero, combined with the gusty winds produced extremely low wind chills by the morning of the 24th. Across the North Carolina Mountains, these wind chills ranged as low as 32 to 45 degrees below zero, with values over the Foothills dipping to around 17 degrees below zero. The impact of the strong to damaging winds were trees and power lines brought down resulting in scattered power outages.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1072458. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.