Winter Weather — Caldwell Mountains, North Carolina

2018-02-04 · Caldwell Mountains, North Carolina

Wider weather episode

As a wave of low pressure developed and moved along a stationary front over the Deep South, moisture spread into western North Carolina during the early morning hours of the 4th. The precipitation began as a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow in many areas. While some light accumulation of sleet and snow was reported across the mountain valleys, all areas except for the high peaks and ridge tops transitioned to freezing rain by mid-morning. Most of any measurable ice was reported in the Piedmont and foothills, where amounts of .1 to .2 inch were common. Due to temperatures hovering right around freezing, roads generally remained wet, and ice accretion was primarily confined to elevated surfaces and vegetation. Meanwhile, snowfall of 5-7 inches was reported above about 5000 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 729610. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.