FOX Carolina 21Warmer Monday PM & Valentine's Day Threat (Or Is it?)

Warmer Monday PM & Valentine's Day Threat (Or Is it?)

-Monday:  After a very cold start to the day in the teens and low 20s, more sunshine than clouds will help to warm things up.  Highs will climb into the upper 40s to 50° across Upstate and NE Georgia towns.  Highs in Western NC will reach 42°-46° under a partly cloudy sky.  No rain is expected, but clouds will increase late in the day as a system approaches from the west.

-Tuesday (Valentine's Day):  A system will make a move in our direction by late Monday spreading snow and sleet across Tennessee, north Alabama and northern Georgia.  Winter Storm Warnings and some Winter Weather Advisories have been issued for many areas west of the Carolinas (seen here: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/view/largemap.php). 

There's a good chance that some heavy precipitation will come down in those areas (west of us) before things break up and become more scattered nearing our area.  As for us, the system will weaken a good bit as it moves over Georgia, but there will likely still be some light-moderate sleet and snow moving closer by around midnight to 3AM Tuesday morning.  Also, I have a feeling moisture will move into Western NC well ahead of schedule, because it usually does!

-Upstate/NE Georgia Expectation:  A brief round of sleet or snow is entirely possible for some western Upstate and NE Georgia towns before sunrise Tuesday.  However, in a borderline situation such as this when cold air isn't very deep, heavy precipitation is needed for prolonged winter weather and there just won't be any sort of sustained heavy precipitation moving in from this system.  It's not out of the question that a town or two in NE Georgia could pick up a quick dusting to an inch of snow or a covering of sleet.  But, a changeover to light rain or drizzle after sunrise will extinguish any threats.  Road problems across the NE Georgia or the Upstate early Tuesday.  Importantly, there won't even be much rain to go around Tuesday morning as most of whatever falls should be out of here by late morning to lunch (at the latest).

-Western NC Expectations:  A few hours of sleet/snow/possible freezing rain are likely -across Western NC towns around the Asheville area and especially west/southwest of there between Midnight and 6am Tuesday.  Widespread road problems aren't expected in the Mountains, but are certainly possible in a few areas of the low-level cold air is stubborn to leave after sunrise. 

-What We'll Be Watching:  We'll certainly be tracking radar and temperature trends tomorrow night.  The radar is expected to show a blossoming wave of moisture over Tennessee and then quickly diminish in coverage is it moves into northern and northeastern Georgia.  We'll have an interesting time on our hands if that doesn't happen.

-Wednesday Warm Up:  Wednesday will be a spring-like day as sunshine warms temperatures quickly following a cool morning.  Highs will rebound into the low 60s for the Upstate with upper 50s in Western NC.