Winter Weather — Polk Mountains, North Carolina

2018-01-17 · Polk Mountains, North Carolina

Wider weather episode

As a strengthening upper level disturbance and associated cold front approached the region from the Tennessee Valley, light precipitation developed across the North Carolina mountains around midnight. While the precipitation may have started as rain or a rain/snow mix in the lower valleys, a transition to snow had occurred in most locations by daybreak. As the snow band moved east, snowfall rates increased with time such that the highest totals were found north and east of the Balsams, where amounts of 2-4 inches were common. Meanwhile, locations west of the Balsams generally saw 1-2 inches.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 728312. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.