North Carolina, 2004

Cold in North Carolina, December 20, 2004

December 20, 2004 · NWS GSP · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Wind chill values reached minus 20 to minus 25 degrees in the valleys, with some of the peaks reporting temperatures of minus 10, and winds of 45 mph, resulting in wind chill values of minus 45.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
3

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.

Wind chill values reached minus 20 to minus 25 degrees in the valleys, with some of the peaks reporting temperatures of minus 10, and winds of 45 mph, resulting in wind chill values of minus 45.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Avery

When
December 20, 12:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Avery forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
36.077, -81.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Yancey

When
December 20, 12:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Yancey forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
35.899, -82.308 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Mitchell

When
December 20, 12:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Mitchell forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
36.013, -82.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, December 2004

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5430040, 5430041, 5430042.