Snow, damaging winds, and dangerous coastal flooding are expected to impact parts of the southern Appalachians, the Carolinas, and southern Virginia this weekend as a powerful winter storm rapidly intensifies off the Southeast coast.
Impacts will begin late Friday into Saturday, with snow and hurricane-force wind gusts possible along parts of the North Carolina and Virginia coasts by Saturday night. Coastal New England, especially eastern Massachusetts, could see snow and wind later in the weekend if the storm approaches the coast.
The low pressure system formed near the North Carolina coast late Friday and is expected to rapidly strengthen as it moves north Saturday, a process known as bombogenesis. As the bomb cyclone intensifies, very cold air will flow south, potentially bringing snow to areas that don’t see much winter weather.
More than 28 million people are under winter storm watches and warnings across the Southeast, including parts of northern Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia. Many of these areas are still recovering from last weekend’s deadly winter storm, which blanketed roads with snow and ice, caused widespread travel disruptions and prolonged power outages.
Snow is expected to accumulate in parts of the southern Appalachians, the Carolinas and southern Virginia late Friday night into Saturday as the storm rapidly strengthens offshore.
The heaviest snowfall is expected from central and eastern North Carolina to southern Virginia, where 5 to 10 inches of snow is expected. A narrow band of heavy snow could push locally higher totals. Cities like Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, are at risk of heavy snowfall.
Further south, snow is expected to accumulate in parts of South Carolina and eastern Georgia, and temperatures will remain cold enough to produce snow. Snow totals in these areas are generally expected to be lower, but in places like Atlanta where winter weather is rare, even an inch or less of snow can have a big impact.
With very cold air already present, snow accumulates quickly across the region, clinging to roads, bridges, and untreated surfaces with little melting. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly once the snow begins to fall, and dangerous conditions could persist into Sunday morning until the snow clears.
As the storm rapidly intensifies offshore, strong winds will significantly exacerbate impacts across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
The strongest winds are expected near the coast, with wind gusts approaching hurricane strength, or 75 mph, possible for parts of the North Carolina and Virginia coastlines by Saturday night. Where these winds combine with heavy snow, especially along the Outer Banks of North Carolina and into southeastern Virginia, visibility can be reduced to near zero and blizzard conditions can become extremely dangerous for travel.
Further inland, strong and persistent winds can still cause serious problems. Wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph are expected from Georgia through the Carolinas to southern Virginia, with possible higher gusts in some cases. These winds combine with dry powder snow to create blowing snow and blowing snow, which can rapidly reduce visibility and make travel hazardous even after snowfall levels have subsided.
Gusty winds could reach coastal New England later in the weekend, especially if the storm lingers near the coast.
Strong onshore winds are expected to coincide with this month’s peak tide period, increasing the risk of moderate to locally significant coastal flooding, particularly during the high tide cycle from late Saturday into Sunday.
The biggest concerns are along North Carolina’s Outer Banks to Virginia’s Tidewater region, where strong winds, high waves and coastal erosion could cause flooding and flooding in vulnerable coastal areas.
Areas further north, including parts of coastal New England, could also experience flooding and rough ocean conditions as the storm approaches the coast.
There is high confidence that this storm will form, but small changes in its path can drastically change the impact, especially in New England, so keep an eye on the latest local forecasts.
