Winter Weather in Burke Mountains, North Carolina

Strong northwest winds pushing colder air into the area in the wake of an arctic cold front interacting with moisture banked against the western slopes of the Appalachians resulted in a protracted period of snow showers developing near the Tennessee/North Carolina border. The snow showers began developing on the morning of the 22nd, and continued off and on for more than 36 hours before tapering off during the early morning of the 24th. Snowfall totals were heavily dependent upon elevation and exposure to northwest winds, with general amounts of 4-8 inches reported above 3500 feet. Locally higher amounts of 10 inches or more occurred on the high peaks along the Tennessee border. Much ligheter amounts occurred in the valleys, with less than an inch reported in the valleys beneath the Smokies, to as much as 4 inches in the higher valleys of the northern mountains.