Southeast Winter Storm – State of Emergency Declared
A State of Emergency has been declared in three states ahead of the upcoming winter storm that is beginning to affect the Southeast. North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama issued the declarations yesterday to go in effect today. Winter Storm Warnings have been issued from Oklahoma to Delaware.
Governor Cooper has declared a State of Emergency for all 100 counties. Get winter weather safety tips at https://t.co/YZP84j19sM. #ncwx pic.twitter.com/V93i1I1bUq
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) January 6, 2017
Deal mobilizes state resources ahead of winter storm. Read more here: https://t.co/TIr3Eq5PSC.
— Governor Nathan Deal (@GovernorDeal) January 5, 2017
NEW: State of Emergency effective 7am Friday for all Alabama counties ahead of potential winter weather. DETAILS https://t.co/BLzE3bOXLP pic.twitter.com/DKyDMfZQ5B
— Gov. Robert Bentley (@GovernorBentley) January 5, 2017
The storm has already been putting down snow from Oklahoma to Tennessee. The snow will diminish in Oklahoma this afternoon, but slick roads can be expected.
Williamson County in Tennessee has also declared a State of Emergency due to very poor travel conditions with snow and ice. The Smoky Mountains will continue to see additional snowfall.
Crockett road near Concord looks to have several cars in the ditch. @BTNPD are busy. If you don't have to travel, please stay home. pic.twitter.com/DYKx49cOJG
— City of Brentwood (@CityofBrentwood) January 6, 2017
Weather conditions will continue to worsen in Alabama throughout the day as the system drops through the state. Snow, sleet and freezing rain will make roads very slippery.
Snow will increase later this afternoon and evening in Georgia. Some areas could see up to 4″. Sleet is also possible.
Snowfall totals will reach up above 6″ in parts of Virginia and South Carolina. Some of the highest mountain areas could approach 10-12″.
North Carolina will see the weather worsen later this evening. Some sleet and freezing rain is possible later today, with snow for tonight into Saturday.
The low pressure center will move through the Gulf of Mexico tonight towards the Big Bend of Florida. Humidity streaming in off the Gulf will push into the cold air, ringing out a narrow band of freezing rain and sleet from Central Mississippi to Eastern North Carolina. Snow will start to accumulate tonight in the colder air from Central Alabama to Central North Carolina.
As the low crosses Florida and pushes into the Atlantic Ocean, snowfall will increase from Northern Georgia into Virginia through the early morning hours of Saturday. Accumulations will begin to diminish from southwest to northeast on Saturday midday as the low moves away from the coastline.
Stay tuned to WeatherNation on-air and weathernationtv.com online for the very latest storm updates and forecast information. We will be here around the clock with live reports in the areas affected by the winter storm.
For WeatherNation: Meteorologist Mace Michaels