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A strong storm system moving up the East Coast is causing gusty winds and chilly temperatures today in the Charlotte metro region, and it will bring heavy snow to parts of the North Carolina mountains.
A lake wind advisory has been posted for the Piedmont, and forecasters say winds will gust to near 35 mph today.
Partly sunny skies are expected, but temperatures will not climb out of the upper 40s, forecasters say.
It's a much more wintry situation in the mountains.
Snow is expected today as close to Charlotte as the mountains of Burke and Caldwell counties. A winter weather advisory has been posted in those areas until noon Tuesday, with 1 to 3 inches of snow expected to accumulate -- most of it tonight, when temperatures drop below freezing. Areas above 3,000 feet are most likely to see significant snow, forecasters say.
A winter storm warning is in effect for about all or parts of eight counties in the North Carolina mountains, where 4 inches or more of snow could fall today and tonight above 3,000 feet elevation. That warning includes Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties in the northern N.C. mountains, and several counties in the western mountains.
Forecasters say snow will increase this afternoon, with 1 to 2 inches accumulating in the valleys, 3 to 6 inches at higher elevations, and 6 to 8 inches on some tops of the ridges.
Snow began falling this morning in the mountains, and the intensity has increased this afternoon.
Schools were closed today in seven counties -- Graham, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey. The N.C. Highway Patrol and sheriff's offices in the mountains report no serious traffic wrecks so far today, but they say roads are becoming increasingly treacherous this afternoon.
The National Weather Service said at midday that about 2 inches of snow already has accumulated in parts of Madison and Yancey counties.
