North Carolina, 2002

Heavy Snow in North Carolina, February 26 to 27, 2002

February 26 to 27, 2002 · NWS GSP · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Snow fell overnight into the morning hours, as an upper level storm system moved across the area, and was followed by strong northwest winds. Most of the snow fell immediately along the Tennessee border, but extended east of there in some cases.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
7

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 GSP wrote it up.

Snow fell overnight into the morning hours, as an upper level storm system moved across the area, and was followed by strong northwest winds. Most of the snow fell immediately along the Tennessee border, but extended east of there in some cases. Some of the higher elevations of Graham, Madison, and Avery Counties received as much as 5 inches of snow. In addition to the snow, wind chill values fell to zero and below in some locations.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Avery

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Avery forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.077, -81.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Madison

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.858, -82.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Yancey

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Yancey forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.899, -82.308 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Mitchell

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Mitchell forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.013, -82.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Swain

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Swain forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.487, -83.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Haywood

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Haywood forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.556, -82.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Graham

When
February 26, 8:00 PM EST to February 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Graham forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.350, -83.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, February 2002

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: 5283658, 5283659, 5283660, 5283661, 5283662, 5283663, 5283664.