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National Weather Service Issues Winter Storm Warning for Elevations Above 3500 Feet; Winter Weather Advisory for Elevations Below 3500 Feet

Graphic courtesy of Ray’s Weather Center

By Harley Nefe

The National Weather Service out of Blacksburg, Virginia, has issued a Winter Storm Warning for areas above 3500 feet elevation and a Winter Weather Advisory for areas below 3500 feet. These alerts are effective until Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. for Ashe and Watauga counties.

According to the alert, snow showers will develop across the mountains Monday afternoon and continue into Tuesday resulting in light to moderate accumulations of snow in most areas. However, in higher elevations above 3500 feet heavier snow is expected. In lower elevations, additional snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches is expected whereas in higher elevations 4 to 8 inches is expected. These amounts are in addition to the snow totals the High Country has already received over the past weekend.

Ray’s Weather Center reported Boone getting 1 inch of snow on Jan. 30 and 3 inches on Jan. 31. Ray’s Weather Center also documented Sugar Mountain getting 7 inches of snow on Jan. 31.

According to the latest forecast from Ray’s Weather Center, the snow showers will pick up more this afternoon and tonight for most of the region and they will last through tomorrow. Snow flurries are possible Wednesday morning before a break in precipitation happens on Thursday. Then on friday, the next round of snow is possible.

Throughout the winter storm over the next day traveling conditions may be impacted as well as gusty winds could bring down tree branches. According to the National Weather Service, gusts of winds can be as high as 50 MPH.

Temperatures will also remain cold with highs in the lower 30s and lows in the upper-teens over the next couple of days. Looking ahead after the snow showers on Tuesday, Ray’s Weather Center reports the weather will be clearing Wednesday but will still be chilly with temperature highs in the lower 40s toward the end of the week.