… WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* LOCATIONS… MADISON… HAYWOOD… GRAHAM… AND SWAIN COUNTIES.

* HAZARDS… HEAVY SNOWFALL.

* TIMING… SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING… WITH ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY CONFINED TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. SNOW WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY DURING THE AFTERNOON… AND WILL BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE MORE IN THE VALLEYS. SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT… BUT ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAINLY OCCUR IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND IN THE LOWER FRENCH BROAD VALLEY.

* ACCUMULATIONS… TOTAL SNOWFALL THROUGH SATURDAY IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 7 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS… WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. UP TO A FOOT IS EXPECTED IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE TENNESSEE BORDER.

* IMPACTS… SNOW COVERED ROADWAYS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST THE NEXT 24 HOURS OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. TRAVEL THROUGH THE SMOKIES AND ON OTHER HIGH ELEVATION ROADS IS DISCOURAGED. ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES MAY BE A FEW DEGREES ABOVE FREEZING IN SOME OF THE LOWER VALLEYS… HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES WILL LIKELY RESULT IN SNOW ACCUMULATING QUICKLY ON ROADS… ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET… AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.