Snow, wind and bitter cold arrive

Winter weather is ramping up again across our region, with the next few days bringing a combination of snow, strong winds, and bitterly cold temperatures.

Tonight, as snow moves into the mountains, strong winds will quickly follow behind this powerful cold front. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the High Country from tonight through Thursday. Wind gusts could reach 45 to 60 mph, strong enough to cause minor tree damage and isolated power outages.

Along with the wind comes a dangerous cold. A Cold Weather Advisory is in place for Avery, Ashe, and Watauga Counties through Friday morning, where wind chill values will fall into negative digits. Temperatures across the rest of the region will also be downright brutal, with readings in the teens and 20s.  The Metro and the Piedmont will remain nice and dry with a ton of clearing, but temperatures won’t play nice.

Thursday night may bring the coldest air of the season so far. While temperatures won’t come close to record lows, they will still run 15 degrees or more below normal in some locations. Wind chills early Friday morning could once again become dangerous, with single-digit and teen wind chills possible.

Winter doesn’t stop there. Another round of light snow is possible Friday night into early Saturday as a separate system moves through. The High Country could pick up around an inch of snow, with a few isolated spots seeing up to two inches. While amounts will be light, they could still lead to minor travel issues, especially during the early morning hours Saturday.

The good news: by Saturday afternoon, temperatures should begin to moderate back toward more seasonable levels as winds start to shift.