Watches/Warnings in effect for our region
- WINTER STORM WARNING: Northwestern Pocahontas County from 8 PM Monday night through 10 AM Tuesday morning.
Accumulating snows likely along higher terrain on the western side of mountains with 4 to 6 inches likely by Tuesday morning. More snow is expected to fall during the day on Tuesday and even into Wednesday. In addition, wind gusts up to 40 mph will only make travel in the county more difficult. Expect slick roadways despite plenty of melting during the daytime.
Mountain snow is expected overnight tonight above 3,500 feet with a cold rain elsewhere. Snow accumulations will be heavily dependent on elevation as a result of ground temperatures being colder with height to coincide with air temperatures. Elevations above 4,000 feet can expect slick roadways in spots, with the highest peaks, such as Snowshoe Mountain, Bald Knob, etc., experiencing a few inches of snow overnight tonight. Low temperatures will be in the middle to upper 30s in the lowlands but closer to 30 over the mountaintops. Little to no snow accumulation is expected for any spot below 4,000 feet in elevation tonight. Wind gusts could be as high as 40 mph which could drop some wind chill values briefly into the teens.
After the rain in the valley/snow on the mountaintop trend winds down mid-morning Tuesday, we will see a bit of a lull in the activity around lunchtime, but our next trough in association with a potent area of low pressure will head in toward dinnertime. This will once again bring renewed rounds of showers in the valleys and snow over the mountains. Until dinnertime, with a sharper solar angle than in the wintertime, radiation coming through the clouds from the sun should allow for significant melting and improvement of roads in the mountains to take place before the next round arrives.
As with most upslope snow events, the western sides of the mountains will face the brunt of the accumulations as we head into the overnight hours, with a few inches of snow once again possible in the highest mountaintops. Any area above 3,500 feet in elevation will be susceptible for a light accumulation of snow with little to no accumulation expected below that elevation. Wind chill values could once again drop back into the teens overnight as temperatures dip well back into the 30s and wind continue to gust as high as 40 mph.
Wednesday once again brings snow shower chances around in the morning, and with morning temperatures slightly cooler than the previous night, we’ll have a few snowflakes mixing in even some of the lower elevation locales, though no accumulation is expected during the morning except for light additional snow accumulations over the mountaintops. It will be a bone-chilling cold day once again with some drying taking place late in the day, with high temperatures likely struggling to reach the middle 40s in the lowlands and will certainly once again be stuck in the 30s in the mountains. It will also be breezy yet again, with wind gusts up to 30 mph possible.
Thursday finally starts to see the return of the sun as high pressure begins to control the weather in the region once again. It’s still a cool day with a few morning clouds, with high temperatures in the middle to upper 50s.
Friday provides a southwesterly flow as high pressure shifts east. This will warm temperatures back up to near normal in the middle 60s. A storm system will arrive overnight and last into early Saturday, with just the chance for a few light sprinkles lingering into Saturday.
Saturday begins with a few sprinkles in the morning but there are signs of a drying trend for the afternoon, with high temperatures in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees.
Sunday looks GREAT at this point with plenty of sunshine and highs in the lower to middle 70s. Our 70s return!
Monday continues the warm and dry trend, with partly sunny skies and highs in the middle 70s.
In your extended forecast, temps return to average in the low 70s, but a soggy pattern once again sets up as a bump in humidity cause a few afternoon showers with a few unorganized systems pushing through. At least the snow risk looks to be ending for good as a warmer pattern sets up through the first few weeks of May.
TONIGHT
Rain in the valleys, snow on the high mountaintops. Lows in the middle 30s in the valleys – around 30 on top of the mountain. Wind chill values in the 20s.
TUESDAY
Showers continue especially toward dinnertime, snow showers again over the mountains. Breezy! Highs in the upper 40s. Wind gusts up to 40 mph possible.
WEDNESDAY
AM snow showers likely over mountains. Slow drying trend late. Highs in the middle 40s.
THURSDAY
Partly sunny – cool but quiet! Highs in the middle 50s.
FRIDAY
Partly sunny, great end to the work week! Highs in the middle 60s.
SATURDAY
Couple of morning sprinkles, plenty of dry time. Highs in the upper 60s.
SUNDAY
Mostly sunny – nice day! Highs in the lower 70s.
MONDAY
Partly sunny, beautiful weather continues. Highs in the middle 70s.
TUESDAY
Few showers. Highs in the lower 70s.
WEDNESDAY
Mostly cloudy with a couple of showers. Highs in the middle 70s.
THURSDAY
Partly sunny, nice! Highs in the lower 70s.
