North Carolina, 1997

Winter Storm in North Carolina, December 30 to 31, 1997

December 30 to 31, 1997 · NWS MRX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A series of fast-moving upper level disturbances moved across southwest North Carolina, causing heavy snow shower activity. Amounts were generally 4" to 8", with locally higher amounts in higher elevations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 MRX wrote it up.

A series of fast-moving upper level disturbances moved across southwest North Carolina, causing heavy snow shower activity. Amounts were generally 4" to 8", with locally higher amounts in higher elevations.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Cherokee

When
December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Cherokee forecast zone
Coordinates
35.134, -84.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clay

When
December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Coordinates
35.057, -83.750 (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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, December 1997

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: 5626514, 5626515.