North Carolina, 1996

Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 16, 1996

February 16, 1996 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Snow occurred in the mountains of northwest North Carolina and in portions of north-central North Carolina during the morning hours on the 16th. The snow accumulated from 3 to 6 inches in the mountains and mainly from 1 to 3 inches east of the mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

Snow occurred in the mountains of northwest North Carolina and in portions of north-central North Carolina during the morning hours on the 16th. The snow accumulated from 3 to 6 inches in the mountains and mainly from 1 to 3 inches east of the mountains. Slippery road conditions resulted in some traffic accidents.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Stokes

When
February 16, 2:15 AM EST to 10:15 AM EST
Where
Stokes forecast zone
Coordinates
36.402, -80.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rockingham

When
February 16, 2:15 AM EST to 10:15 AM EST
Where
Rockingham forecast zone
Coordinates
36.396, -79.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Caswell

When
February 16, 2:15 AM EST to 10:15 AM EST
Where
Caswell forecast zone
Coordinates
36.393, -79.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yadkin

When
February 16, 2:15 AM EST to 10:15 AM EST
Where
Yadkin forecast zone
Coordinates
36.161, -80.665 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5539421, 5539422, 5539423, 5539424.