Recently in WEATHER Category

Last month's weather data from Grandfather Mountain is off the charts. Grandfather spokesperson Landis Wofford said the daily record low temperature was broken with a one-degree low on February 12 and the mountain saw over 39 inches of snow, which is good for a monthly record.

Wofford said Grandfather saw almost three times the average snowfall for February. Wofford added that the mountain was closed for several days last month because of treacherous weather conditions and there are about 15 inches of snow atop the mountain that weren't officially recorded. Wofford said wind gusts of over 60 miles per hour were recorded nine times with a three-second gust of 95.5 miles per hour on February 11.

The average low temperature atop the mountain was about eight degrees lower than normal and the average high was about five degrees lower than the average.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Mitchell, Burke, Watauga, Yancey and several other counties until midnight tonight. Snow accumulations of two to four inches are expected. Officials added this should be a heavy, wet snow, so blowing snow and drifts are not expected. After tomorrow and Thursday's slight chance of snow and/or rain, weather officials are calling for lots of sunshine this weekend for the High Country.

Both the state of North Carolina and Watauga County are warning residents to be prepared during this year's Severe Weather Awareness Week. Officials have chosen this week as Severe Weather Awareness Week because the region is still susceptible to winter storms and flooding waterways.

David Hancock of the Watauga County Emergency Management Office said although national organizations tell residents to keep a few days' worth of food on hand in case of an emergency, here in the Mountains, people should prepare for more. If a winter storm warning is issued, you should make sure to have plenty of food, medicine, and supplies to safely heat your home. It's also a good idea to make sure to maintain two sources of heat for your home. You should keep cell phones charged and have a corded phone available for use.

Wind gusts of around 70 miles per hour coupled with new and drifted snow have made most roadways in the area slick and snow covered. A representative with the Ashe County Sheriff's Office described road conditions in Ashe as "terrible" because high winds and blowing snow have reduced the visibility on already treacherous roadways. Representatives with the Ashe, Avery, and Watauga County Sheriff's Offices haven't had a large influx of calls about wrecks, but residents should drive with extreme caution today. The National Weather Service's Blizzard Warning is in effect for the region until 5:00 Saturday and the Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 6:00 a.m. Sunday.

Airports throughout the Mid-Atlantic began operating again Thursday after a blizzard tore up the East Coast, shutting down runways for the second time in less than a week and causing one of the biggest disruptions to air travel since the 9/11 hijackings, according to airlines and government statistics. Residents throughout the region started digging out as cities rushed to clear snow-covered streets and utility crews worked to restore power to thousands of customers. Schools were closed for the rest of the week in many cities. And in Washington, D.C., the federal government was shut down for the fourth day in a row. At least 5,700 flights were canceled on Wednesday, and Airlines said they expected to cancel more than 1,000 flights Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties that will be in effect through 7:00 a.m. Thursday. Weather officials expect heavy snowfall of 4 - 6 inches by Thursday morning coupled with wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour. Dangerously low temperatures are also expected through Wednesday night with wind chill values around five degrees below zero. Sustained northwest winds are expected to increase to between 15 and 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 65 miles per hour. 

Watauga County's Chief Animal Control Officer Steve Norris wants to remind pet owners to take special precautions in this type of weather to keep pets safe. Norris suggested bringing the animals inside if it is at all possible.  If bringing your pet inside is not an option, Norris said by law pet owners must provide a shelter with bedding, fresh, unfrozen water, and fresh food at least once per day.  Norris also wants to remind residents to check on their pets regularly.

The National Weather Service is warning residents that bands of heavy snow and sleet moving across the area could cause white outs in some regions of the High Country. According to weather officials, the heaviest bands of snow will move through the High Country this morning at rates of up to two inches per hour.  Visibilities could be reduced to near zero at times in areas that are experiencing heavier snowfall. Some light icing will also occur closer to the Tennessee border. At least six inches fell overnight in most areas of the High Country, which is making even main highways extremely treacherous. The Boone Police Department is advising that everyone stay home if at all possible today. The National Weather Service's Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the High Country until 4:00 p.m. Saturday.

Several counties in western North Carolina including Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, and Watauga counties will receive federal assistance money from FEMA after a federal disaster declaration for the winter storms and flooding that occurred December 18-25. The DOT will use the money for debris removal and infrastructure repair, utility companies for costs to restore services and local governments to repair disaster-damaged facilities and costs associated with debris removal. This declaration will also provide public assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster damaged facilities.

Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is keeping an eye on this week's looming winter storm. BREMCO's public relations director Renee Whitener said employees are prepared to implement the cooperative's emergency power restoration plan should the storm cause widespread outages. Whitener said much like last week, line technicians are topping off fuel supplies, checking safety equipment, tire chains, and making sure chain saws for tree removal are ready. This week's storm differs from last week's because sleet and freezing rain are expected to be in the mix.  The National Weather Service is calling for moderate snow and sleet accumulation and up to a quarter of an inch of ice accumulation between late Thursday night and Saturday evening. If you're a BREMCO customer and your power goes out, call the outage line at 1-800-448-2383.