Storm may bring wintry mix to Charlotte area, up to 9 inches of snow in NC mountains

A mix of snow and rain is increasingly likely for the Charlotte region early Friday, prompting warnings of hazardous road conditions during the Friday morning and evening commutes. This includes both the threat of ice and “patchy fog”.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the area, from 1 a.m. Friday until midnight. Areas north of Interstate 85 face the highest chance of snow, officials said.

Precipitation will come as rain in the region before 3 a.m. Friday, then rain and snow between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., then snow after 5 a.m., forecasters say.

Areas in and around Charlotte could see “new snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch” on Friday, the National Weather Service said Thursday afternoon.

As much as 9 inches of snow could fall in isolated areas of the mountains, with 4 inches in Hickory, 3 inches in Statesville and Morganton, and less than an inch in Gastonia and Salisbury, forecasters say.

A winter storm watch has been issued for most of the mountains, foothills and areas north of Interstate 40, including warnings that travel could be hampered by 3 to 6 inches of snow and “a light glaze of ice.”

“Temperatures for Friday and Saturday night will dip below freezing for most of the area and will refreeze anything that melted during the day and could cause slick conditions on the roadways for the overnight and morning commute,” the NWS said Thursday afternoon.

Among the changes in the forecast Thursday:

• A brief period of sleet or freezing rain is possible from the Blue Ridge escarpment through the northwest Piedmont.
• Temperatures will be lower than initially expected, with a high of only 37 degrees Friday and a low of 30.
  
  
• Wind gusts could be as high as 18 mph.

• A winter storm warning is in effect from 7 p.m. Thursday until midnight Friday for the eastern portions of Caldwell, Burke and McDowell counties.

There is an 90% chance of precipitation Thursday night and 90% chance Friday for the Charlotte area, according to the National Weather Service. However, it may be too warm south of Interstate 85 to support more than “a few snowflakes” mixed in, forecasters said.

A strong low pressure system will cross the area Thursday through Friday. Chilly temperatures across the region could support wintry precipitation at times, even along the Interstate 85 corridor,” forecasters said. “Uncertainty is high with this system.”

Forecasters say the rain/snow mix “seems evident between the I-40 and I-85 corridor with the transition zone likely to settle somewhere between the two corridors.”

“A shift slightly to the south could bring the transition zone closer to the I-85 corridor and provide the lower Piedmont and Upstate of SC a brief period of wintry precipitation Friday morning, when temperatures are cold enough at the surface,” the National Weather Service says.

“Snowfall totals are expected to be general 2 to 4 inches across the mountains with locally 8 possible along the ridge tops. One to 3 inches are anticipated for the NC foothills and most areas north of I-40,” the NWS reported late Wednesday.

“Can’t rule out a dusting to locally an inch as far south of I-85. Light icing is also possible, mainly for the southern escarpment. Rainfall amounts elsewhere will generally be around half an inch.”

Lows in the mountains will be slightly colder than the Piedmont, with 32 degrees Thursday, 28 degrees Friday and 20 degrees on Saturday.

This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 7:24 AM.