Forecaster Facts #13

We all know that no two snowflakes are alike, but did you know that snowflakes are actually transparent and act like a prism, breaking up the light.  The human eye cannot see this and the flake appears white. The color of snow can differ depending on its environment, but it generally gets its color from the particles around it, hence the phrase "Don't eat yellow snow".

Potential North Carolina Snowstorm

       It has come to my attention that a chance for significant amounts of snow could fall Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Many parts of North Carolina could receive over half a foot of snow. The snowfall amounts should increase the further north and east you are. I would also like to note that there is a little bit of inconsistence between certain model runs so there is a higher sense of uncertainty on where the heaviest snow will fall. Therefore, snowfall amounts could total anywhere from 2-10 inches of snow. This is heavily dependent on the track of the system, if it travels to far out to sea snowfall amounts will decrease, and if the storm hugs the coast, central North Carolina could get a major snow event.
       Setup: A cold front will move in Monday night, bringing in very cold air, this air will be trapped in central NC by the mountains. A low pressure system will move up the coast, Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night before departing around the middle of the day Wednesday. I expect accumulation to be 3-7 inches with locally higher amounts, especially toward the north and east.
       The accumulation amount varies so much because the track of the system is still slightly uncertain and snow banding can give areas more snow than the surrounding area. Snow banding is the phenomena that occurs when winds blow the precipitation into a band, favoring heavier snow in a localized area.
       Summary: temperatures should remain below freezing throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. We could see some of the strongest cold of the year on Wednesday night, with lows dropping into potentially the single digits. Snow should start around midday Tuesday and end Wednesday morning totaling around 3-7+ inches of snow throughout central NC. Due to the cold temperatures and heavy snowfall, I urge anyone who travels to exercise caution and to not travel alone, they should also make sure they have enough food to eat for a day or so in case the power goes out. Stay safe and enjoy the snow! :)