Up 7 inches of snow forecast in NC mountains; 14 counties under winter storm warning or advisory

Rodney Overton
·2 min read
1

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — With a small chance of light snow Monday in northern areas of central North Carolina, parts of the mountains are set to get real snowfall with up to 7 inches in some areas, forecasters said.

THE LATEST: 12 inches of snow falls in NC mountains; winter storm warning until Tuesday AM

Western North Carolina is on the eastern edge of a winter weather system that is dumping feet of snow elsewhere and has even postponed an NFL game in Buffalo until Monday.

In five North Carolina mountain counties, a winter storm warning is in effect for nearly all of Monday until 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

NCDOT image of crews applying brine to roads in North Carolina mountains on Sunday.
NCDOT image of crews applying brine to roads in North Carolina mountains on Sunday.

“Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches,” forecasters said in the warning for Ashe, Swain, Graham and Watauga counties in North Carolina.

THE LATEST: 12 inches of snow falls in NC mountains; winter storm warning until Tuesday AM

Up to 10 inches of snow is possible in the highest ridges of the Smokies, the warning for Swain and Graham counties said.

“Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commutes,” forecasters said in the winter storm warning. “Very cold temperatures and heavy snow or light freezing drizzle could linger through Tuesday morning.”

NCDOT image of crews working to clear I-40 in the North Carolina mountains in Jan. 2022.
NCDOT image of crews working to clear I-40 in the North Carolina mountains in Jan. 2022.

Heavy snow is also expected in the areas of Banner Elk and Newland, North Carolina, the weather service said in a winter storm warning for Avery County. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches, with locally higher amounts are possible in Avery County, the warning said.

THE LATEST: 12 inches of snow falls in NC mountains; winter storm warning until Tuesday AM

Many sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are closed in North Carolina because of snow with five tunnels closed due to ice inside.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said crews on Sunday sprayed brine solution along U.S. 23 and U.S. 74 in Haywood County and were applying more brine to primary roads in at least 13 North Carolina mountain counties.

NCDOT image of crews applying brine to roads in North Carolina mountains on Sunday.
NCDOT image of crews applying brine to roads in North Carolina mountains on Sunday.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 1 a.m. Monday until 7 a.m. Tuesday with up to 4 inches of snow expected in nine other counties in the North Carolina mountains.

The advisory is for Alleghany, Haywood, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Surry, Wilkes, and Yancey, counties.

The NCDOT also said brine is being spread Sunday on Buncombe, McDowell and Burke county highways.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.