Cold/Wind Chill in Rutherford Mountains, North Carolina

An arctic cold front moved through the southern Appalachians and adjacent foothills during the morning and afternoon of the 7th, bringing strong winds and very cold air to the region. By late evening, sustained winds of 10 to 20 mph combined with air temperatures in the teens to yield wind chill values in the 0 to -5 range in the valleys. By daybreak on the 8th, air temperatures in the valleys were near 0 while the high elevations were well below 0. Wind chill values during this time ranged from 0 to -15 across the valleys, while stronger winds and colder temperatures likely yielded values as low as -50 across the high elevations of the Smokies and Balsams. The very low wind chills abated throughout the 8th, as temperatures warmed and winds diminished. However, air temperatures remained below freezing throughout the 8th.