FOX Carolina 21Weekend Rain - Won't Put Much in the Gauge

Weekend Storm in Focus Causing Blizzard Warnings in Kansas/Colorado:  Here's the statement from a National Weather Service often out west...

BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT CST THIS EVENING TO 6 PM CST SATURDAY

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND, KS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING/DURATION...RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW ACROSS EASTERN
  COLORADO LATE THIS EVENING AND SPREAD ACROSS SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA
  AND NORTHWEST KANSAS DURING THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.
  SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING
  BEFORE DIMINISHING LATE SATURDAY. GREATEST SNOWFALL
  ACCUMULATIONS WILL OCCUR FROM EARLY FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
  NIGHT.

* SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS...WIDESPREAD SNOW AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 12
  INCHES ARE EXPECTED NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM TRIBUNE TO HILL
  CITY KANSAS. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR LOCATIONS ALONG A LINE FROM
  LIMON COLORADO TO MCCOOK NEBRASKA TO SEE MAXIMUM SNOWFALL
  ACCUMULATIONS OF 14 TO 16 INCHES OR MORE. LOCATIONS SOUTHEAST
  OF A LINE FROM TRIBUNE TO HILL CITY KANSAS CAN EXPECT WIDESPREAD
  SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES.

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Friday:  A change in wind flow will bring a slightly cooler day tomorrow, but most of the day will still be nice and mild overall.  Expect a mostly sunny sky in the morning with some clouds building in by later in the day/evening.  Highs will range from 59°-63° in the Upstate/NE Georgia with a similar temperature spread in Western NC towns.  No rain will come down Friday (during the day, but a few showers will be possible very late - overnight).

Saturday:  The system causing the blizzard-like conditions out west (image to the right) is the same one bringing us some light rain this weekend.  As it moves in our direction, the system will weaken significantly over the course of the next 48-hours.  Because it will lose a lot of it's punch, we'll see more clouds than we'll see rain from this one.  With the help of a cool, easterly and northeasterly wind, expect the chance for occasional light rain and some drizzle through the day with the best chance for light rain or drizzle in the early morning and evening Saturday.

Sunday:  By Sunday, the upper-level system responsible for all the conditions mentioned above (including our light rain Saturday), will have almost completely fallen flat on its face.  It will be so weak that there may not be much rain left at all (outside of Western NC).  On top of that, it looks as if most of our area will be influenced by a dry, down-sloping wind off the high terrain in Western NC which will serve to knock out rain chances south of the Mountains even more.  Again, you can expect more clouds and more lengthy periods of no rain than times when rain is coming down.  Still, a few showers will be likely, especially early Sunday.  Once you check the rain gauge late Sunday, most places will be lucky to record 0.25" for a two-day total.

Rainfall (2012 - so far):  GSP (the airport in Greer) has picked up 3.95" of rain so far this year which puts GSP even (0.00" - no surplus, no deficit) ... (AVL) Asheville's airport stands at 4.07" for 2012 at that leaves a surplus of 0.27" for the year.