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The Snow Keeps Coming Down on Saturday, NWS Raises Its Snowfall Forecast Again, Skiing on the Horizon?

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The N.C. 105 and Tynecastle Highway intersection near Banner Elk. Photos by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

Nov. 1, 2014. At least we made it through November with out having to shovel driveways and workout the ice scrapers.

As this winter weather continues, snowfall forecasts continue to increase. In the middle of the night, the National Weather Service, which initially called for up to six inches earlier in the week and then eight inches on Friday, increased its accumulation forecast to up to 10 inches in elevations higher than 3,500 feet. The NWS Winter Storm Warning is still set to expire at 8 p.m. on Saturday night.

Before noon on Saturday, Beech Mountain Ski Resort posted on its Facebook page that the mountain has already received six inches of snow and “it is still coming down.”

Here are some snow totals as of 11:30 a.m. from RaysWeather.com:

Avery County: Linville 3″; Banner Elk 5″

Ashe County: Creston 2.5″; Fleetwood 4.5″; Grassy Creek 2″; Lansing 3.5″; Laurel Springs 4.5″; Todd 4″; West Jefferson 5.3″

Watauga County: Bethel 4″; Blowing Rock 3″; Boone 3-4″; Deep Gap 5″; Hound Ears 3″; Rich Mtn 6.5″; Seven Devils 4″; Sugar Grove 5-6″; Valle Crucis 4-5″; Zionville 5″

This is some heavy, wet snow that has been falling today – which has been the primary cause of some power outages affecting the Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation (BREMCO) region. More than 100 outages are currently in effect in Ashe and Watauga counties as of 1 p.m., according to BREMCO. This is than the 66 that BREMCO reported at 11 a.m.

“Linemen with Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation are responding to scattered outages this morning in Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties,” reads a release from BREMCO. “Heavy snow on power lines is the primary cause of this morning’s outages, which began around 8 a.m. Members are advised call the cooperative’s PowerLine outage reporting number to report outages: 1-800-448-2383.”

As for some skiing and snowboarding in the mix, no ski resorts in the High Country have opened. If one does, it will be Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, which has its snow machines operating “full force,” according to Sugar Mountain’s website.

However, Sugar Mountain Ski Resort hasn’t announced that it is opening yet.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Kim Jochl, a spokesperson with the resort, said to check back later in the evening. For updates of a potential opening, stay tuned at the resort’s website.

See a few photos below of Saturday’s snowfall.

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