Mountain Area Forecast ( Dec 9-11 )

The Coldest Air Of This Early Winter Season Will Arrive Tuesday Into Wednesday Morning.  An Alert For Bitterly Cold Air And Accumulating Snow Will Likely Be Needed.  Snow Squalls With Whiteout Conditions Will Be Likely Tuesday – A New Forecast Will Be Issued Monday PM ( Stay Tuned For Updates ).

Previous Alert

Accumulating Snow From A Clipper System Will Be Likely Saturday Night Into Sunday Morning In Upslope Locations On W-NW Air Flow

A clipper system will cause snow showers and flurries to develop by Saturday evening, with a burst or two of snow possible.  Windy and bitter conditions will accompany a drop in temperatures.

Snowfall accumulations from 0.5″ up to 1-2″ are expected, with greatest amounts in upslope locations with respect to W-NW air flow.  Little to no snow accumulation is expected in downslope locations.  While locally higher amounts could occur in the High Knob high country, the moisture tap from the Great Lakes will be limited, the system fast moving, and the time for accumulations of relatively short duration to help limit amounts.  This will be a dry ( low density ) fluff in contrast to the wet snow that fell over the Tennessee Valley and Blue Ridge during December 8-9 AM.

Saturday Afternoon

Partly to mostly sunny then becoming cloudy with a chance of snow showers or flurries by late. Cold.  SSW-WSW winds 5-15 mph, with higher gusts.  Temperatures varying from the mid-upper 20s in upper elevations to mid-upper 30s.  Wind chills in the 10s & 20s ( coldest highest elevations ).

Saturday Night Into Sunday Morning

Windy & colder with snow showers & flurries.  Winds W-WNW at 10-20 mph, with higher gusts ( especially along mountain ridges ).  Temperatures dropping into the low-mid 10s to lower 20s ( coldest highest elevations ).  Wind chills in the single digits and 10s, except below zero in gusts along high mountain ridges.  Rime formation highest peaks.

Sunday Afternoon

Partly cloudy.  Gusty & cold.  SSW-WSW winds 10-20 mph, with higher gusts.  Temperatures varying from the mid-upper 20s in upper elevations to the mid-upper 30s.  Wind chills in the 10s and 20s, especially along mountain ridges and exposed plateaus.

Sunday Night Into Monday Morning

Partly cloudy to clear.  Windy.  SW winds 5-15 mph, with higher gusts, along mountain ridges-plateaus below 2700 feet.  WSW-WNW winds 15-25 mph, with higher gusts, on mountain ridges above 2700 feet.  Temperatures mainly in the 20s to lower 30s.  Wind chills in 10s to low 20s, except single digits  in gusts along high mountain ridges.

Weather Discussion ( Rare Event )

Bare ground from the High Knob Massif to Snowshoe and Canaan Mountain early Saturday marked a rare event for these 100″+ a year snowfall summits, as snow covered the landscape only miles to the east and southeast.

The summit of the High Knob Massif had rime but only a trace of snowfall during Friday into Saturday Morning ( December 8-9 ).

The first official 1″ of snow was recorded in the Tri-Cities, with more in places like Johnson City, versus a barren land within the Norton-Wise and High Knob Massif area.

Although this gradient ( difference ) in snowfall was expected, it is still rare for the High Knob Massif and Snowshoe-Canaan to be shut-out during such a system.

Some of the greatest reports in GIS Format

As much as 15-18″ of snow was reported in southwestern portions of North Carolina, with locally 10-12″ in parts of Georgia and Alabama.  Snow even fell on Pensacola in the Florida panhandle, as well as in Brownsville, Texas.

Although less snow fell in Grayson Highlands State Park than in locations farther southwest along the Blue Ridge, the scene is still plenty wintry at the 4,000 foot level.