*ALERT For The Development Of Accumulating Snow Late Tuesday Afternoon Through Tuesday Night

Update: 9:00 PM on Tuesday_10 December 2019

A broad snowband, with embedded mesoscale banding, has dropped a general 2-3″ of snow on the Norton-Wise to Pound-Clintwood corridor as of 9:00 PM (snow is still accumulating).

State Route 83, from Pound to Clintwood, is extremely hazardous with portions of U.S. 23 also becoming snow covered (from Pound to Pound Gap, along portions of Indian Creek Mountain outside the Town of Wise and between Norton and Powell Valley Overlook).

VDOT has been out working main roads, but snowfall rates have been too high for them to keep pace. Please allow time for VDOT to work roads overnight into Wednesday AM before traveling, if possible.

Update: 3:00 PM on Tuesday_10 December 2019

The first snow flakes began falling on High Knob around noon, with sticking between 1-2 PM (28 degrees at 2:22 PM).

A more concentrated area of snow is expected to move into the mountain area from 4 PM through sunset, with sticking snow levels dropping to include Norton-Wise and much of the adjoining area with a snowband.

Interactive Regional Doppler Radar

Expect roadways above 3000 feet to become snow covered and slick, with the potential for sticking on lower elevations roads (especially secondary roads) due to the increase in snowfall rates with dropping temperatures on upsloping NW winds.

Previous Discussion

*While a general transition from rain to sleet and snow will occur within an elongated band, the potential for a relatively narrow axis (mesoscale band) of heavy snow exists inside of this band. The location of this may not be known until it begins development, but locations in this mesoscale band could have a rapid deterioration in conditions despite the current lack of recognition.

Rain is expected to change to sleet and snow between 1 PM and 4 PM Tuesday, then to all snow by before or just after sunset.

A change to frozen precipitation may occur before 1 PM at highest elevations, with rapid temperature drops expected between 10 AM and 1 PM in places along and west-northwest of the High Knob Massif and Tennessee Valley Divide.

*Snowfall Forecast

2″ or less below 1500 feet

2″ to 4″ from 1500-3000 feet

3″ to 5″ above 3000 feet

*Target snowfall: 3″ at 2500 feet (+/-) 1″ error potential,
suggesting a possible 2-4″ in the Norton-Wise area, with
higher amounts should a mesoscale banding axis of snow
develop over the area (lower amounts with no banding).

ALERT Continues For Strong S-SW Winds Tonight Into The Overnight Of Tuesday

SW-WSW wind gusts of 30-40+ mph will continue at middle-upper elevations into the overnight hours. Wind gusts to 50+ mph will remain possible at high elevations in the High Knob Massif.