National Weather Highlight for 10 / 17 / 09: Southern Appalachian Mountain snow likely into 10 / 18

October 17, 6:11 PMCoastal Carolina Weather ExaminerGannon Medwick

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Coastal Carolina Weather Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Snow will fall on the southern Appalachian Mountain Region - including around Moountain City, TN.

As an unseasonably cold northwest wind flow banks against the high terrain of the Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina Appalachian Mountain Region, snow will develop late Saturday 10 / 17 into early Sunday 10 / 18.  Accumulating snow will be possible for areas above 3000 feet in elevation and likely for areas above 3500 feet.  The following National Weather Service statements - only slightly modified by me - account for the winter weather potential:

STATEMENT ONE: For the Virginia and Tennessee counties of JOHNSON, COCKE (SMOKY MOUNTAINS PORTIONS), GREENE (SOUTHEAST PORTION), UNICOI, CARTER (SOUTHEAST PORTION), BLOUNT (SMOKY MOUNTAIN PORTION), SEVIER (SMOKY MOUNTAIN PORTION), WISE, RUSSELL, and WASHINGTON, INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MOUNTAIN CITY, COSBY, CEDAR CREEK, ERWIN, ROAN MOUNTAIN, CADES COVE, GATLINBURG, WISE, NORTON, LEBANON, and ABINGDON: A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT SUNDAY 10 / 18.

EXPANDED STATEMENT ONE: SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED FOR LOCATIONS ABOVE 3000 FEET THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, INCLUDING CLINCH MOUNTAIN AND HIGH KNOB, MAY RECEIVE 1 TO 2 INCHES. THE NORTHEAST TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS AND THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS COULD SEE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING, BUT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. DRIVING AND WALKING MAY BE DIFFICULT ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, SLOW DOWN AND
ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. HIKERS SHOULD USE CAUTION ON MOUNTAIN TRAILS.

STATEMENT TWO: For the North Carolina counties of AVERY, MADISON, YANCEY, MITCHELL, SWAIN, HAYWOOD, and GRAHAM, INCLUDING THE CITIES OF NEWLAND, SPRUCE PINE, CHEROKEE, and WAYNESVILLE: A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT SUNDAY 10 / 18 (ABOVE 3500 FEET).

EXPANDED STATEMENT TWO: AS SNOW SHOWERS INCREASE IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA SATURDAY EVENING, LOCALLY AS MUCH AS A 3 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGH ELEVATIONS AND WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE ADVISORY AREA (MAINLY FOR LOCATIONS ALONG THE TENNESSEE LINE). FOR MOST LOCALES, ANYWHERE FROM A COATING TO AN INCH OF ACCUMULATION IS LIKELY.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

For more information on today's National Weather Highlight, visit the National Weather Service Morristown, TN home page or the National Weather Service Greenville / Spartanburg, SC home page.