Heavy Snow in Transylvania, North Carolina

Moisture overspread the southern Appalachians late on the 15th as strengthening low pressure moved across the Deep South. Strong northeast winds supplied ample cold air for the precipitation to begin as light snow. Snow increased in intensity throughout the overnight, with snowfall rates of around an inch per hour becoming common during the pre-dawn hours. Heavy snowfall criteria of 3 to 5 inches was reached in many areas by daybreak, with accumulating snow continuing through the morning hours before tapering off to occasional snow showers that continued to produce light accumulations through the afternoon. Total snowfall ranged from 6 to 10 inches across much of the area, although amounts in excess of a foot were reported near the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge. Some of the valleys of far southwest North Carolina saw lesser amounts as temperatures warmed above freezing during the morning. Travel was very difficult to nearly impossible across much of the area throughout the 16th and much of the 17th.