Snow will start around 3 a.m. Saturday in Charlotte and continue all day, NWS says
Charlotte is expected to get anywhere from 4 to 7 inches of snow this weekend, and there’s a slim chance it could be higher, according to the National Weather Service.
A Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 4 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Sunday, and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has declared a State of Emergency.
The snow is expected to begin around 3 a.m. Saturday (a 50% chance) and will continue through Saturday (100% chance) as temperatures stay in the twenties, forecasters say. There is also a 90% chance of snow after sunset Saturday.
AccuWeather projects the city could get 6 to 10 inches Saturday, The Weather Channel estimates it will be 3 to 6 inches, and the National Weather Service is leaning toward one inch before dawn and 4 to 6 inches during the day Saturday.
“For cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina, this could be the biggest snowstorm in decades,” AccuWeather reported early Friday.
“Several inches of snow are forecast across much of North Carolina. ... The greatest chance of the storm bringing 6 inches or more in the Southeastern states will extend from north-central North Carolina to southeastern Virginia.”
The National Weather Service says the biggest uncertainty is pinpointing where the heaviest snowfall (8 to 12 inches) will occur in North Carolina, but there are indications “the heaviest axis of snowfall may shift southwest towards the I-26 corridor.”
The snow will be very “dry and powdery,” and it will be combined with dangerously cold air that will linger through Monday morning, forecasters say.
“One thing to note, the snowfall will not be uniform across the western Carolinas. ... The potential for narrow bands of heavy snowfall will lead to significant snowfall rates and locally higher-than-forecast snowfall,” the NWS said late Friday.
“On the other hand, there will be places that receive less snow than what is in the forecast that doesn’t receive a narrow band of heavier snow. Where these occur are uncertain and will be challenging to depict with subsequent forecast changes.”
If a heavy snow band crosses the Charlotte area, the “high-end amount” could be 11 inches, forecasters say. The “low end” would be 3 inches.
A low of 12 degrees is expected Saturday night in the Charlotte area. Wind gusts could top 25 mph and the wind chill could fall to minus 2 degrees, forecasters say.
“Snow is expected to rapidly stick to roads and other surfaces due to temperatures in the 20s. Travel conditions could deteriorate rapidly as early as Friday evening,” NWS forecasters say. “Very gusty winds on Saturday could result in areas of blowing snow, causing very poor visibility.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 5:56 AM with the headline "Snow will start around 3 a.m. Saturday in Charlotte and continue all day, NWS says."