‘Arctic blast’ of cold coming to the Triangle. Could it snow? Here’s the latest.

Martha Quillin
·2 min read

Frigid temperatures are expected throughout North Carolina next week, but the chance of snow remains slim in the Triangle.

Cold air will sweep the country

What forecasters say is likely to be the coldest air mass our part of the country has seen this winter so far will make its way from the Northern Plains, bringing the possibility of freezing rain and temperatures in the teens as far south as Dallas, Texas.

An “Arctic outbreak” will affect most of the country next week, including North Carolina, where temperatures will drop mid-week to some of the coldest of the season so far.
An “Arctic outbreak” will affect most of the country next week, including North Carolina, where temperatures will drop mid-week to some of the coldest of the season so far.

Meteorologists say they don’t yet have enough information to confidently say how much precipitation or what kind the system will deliver to North Carolina.

The way they often do when a hurricane is still forming off the coast of Africa, different computer models disagree over whether it will rain, snow or drop anything at all here. But there is consensus on the wool-worthy temperatures, and those will reach from the mountains all the way to the coast.

The best chance of precipitation, forecasters say — in whatever form — is late Monday night and Tuesday, when rain, snow or a mixture of both are possible from the mountains to the Piedmont, as far east as Greensboro.

In the Triangle: Durham and Chapel Hill have about a 15% chance of seeing around a tenth of an inch of snow on Tuesday, with northern Orange and Durham counties having the highest possibility of flurries. Snow is not expected in Raleigh, though northern Wake County could see a bit. Points farther east are expected to get rain, if anything,

Gladys Calles and William Wise of Wise Farms load bins with firewood Thursday morning, Jan. 20, 2022. at the North Carolina State Farmers Market in Raleigh. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for all of central North Carolina as the Triangle braces for the second winter blast in less than a week.
Gladys Calles and William Wise of Wise Farms load bins with firewood Thursday morning, Jan. 20, 2022. at the North Carolina State Farmers Market in Raleigh. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for all of central North Carolina as the Triangle braces for the second winter blast in less than a week.

‘Arctic outbreak’ / ‘Arctic blast’: Temps in the teens

After reaching the low to mid-40s in the Triangle area during the day Tuesday, temperatures will drop Tuesday night, reaching down to the low 20s by Wednesday morning, as what the National Weather Service is calling an “Arctic outbreak” reaches the Southeast.

Wednesday is expected to be sunny, but the high temperature will only be around 38 degrees. Thursday will be a little closer to normal, forecasters say, with a high of 47. Friday’s high will be in the low 40s, forecasters say, and Saturday will top out in the low 30s.

Lows through the week will be in the teens to mid-20s.

Temperatures will drop this week and Triangle counties are looking for volunteers and donations to help people in need this holiday season.
Temperatures will drop this week and Triangle counties are looking for volunteers and donations to help people in need this holiday season.

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