Will Asheville, Western North Carolina mountains see first snowfall of season this week?
A light dusting of snow is expected to coat Western North Carolina’s mountains — just after the region’s leaves reached peak autumn hues.
Between 1 and 2 inches of snow is forecast for Mount Pisgah - about 40 minutes southwest of Asheville - and Mount Mitchell abut an hour's drive north of Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway - beginning late Nov. 3, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Doug Outlaw. The snow will continue into the morning of Nov. 4.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook in WNC's mountains through Nov. 9.
Snowfall in the mountains is typical for early November, according to Outlaw.
“It’s about time for high elevation snow,” he said.
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The summit of Mount Pisgah, in Haywood County, is 5,700 feet in elevation, while Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the Eastern United States sits at 6,684 feet elevation.
Snow is not predicted to fall in lower elevation areas, but Asheville, which sits at about 2,200 feet eleveation, can expect a drop in temperature.
Nov. 5 through Nov. 8 is predicted to see nighttime temperatures in the low 30s — with Friday night being the coldest at 32 degrees, Outlaw said.
There is also a slight chance of rain — about 45% in Asheville on the evening of Nov. 3.
Temperatures in Asheville will heat back up next week — hovering in the 60s from Nov. 12-16 — before a cold front sweeps the region Nov. 17 and brings temperatures back down.
“Temperatures will drop back a little bit, but at least the first half of the week will be nice,” Outlaw said. “It will be comfortable."
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Overall, cold weather is not expected to be Western North Carolina’s norm this season. Outlaw said a fairly mild winter is expected across the region.
“We're expecting below normal precipitation and slightly above normal temperatures through the winter,” he said. “The effects of a colder than normal sea surface temperature and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean affects the overall weather patterns for North America.”
Shelby Harris is a reporter covering breaking news, education and other topics. She can be reached at sharris@citizentimes.com or on Twitter @_shelbyharris.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Weather forecast: Snow expected in Western NC mountains this week
