Winter Weather, Rabun
- When
- December 1, 3:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Rabun forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 34.882, -83.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather in Georgia, December 1, 2008
Snow showers developed during the early morning hours and continued through much of the day across the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge mountains. By late afternoon, accumulations ranged from around an inch to as much as 4 inches.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 showers developed during the early morning hours and continued through much of the day across the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge mountains. By late afternoon, accumulations ranged from around an inch to as much as 4 inches. Meanwhile, the valleys saw only occasional flurries or light snow, with just a dusting reported here and there.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 1, 12:49 AM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 1, 12:49 AM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1249 AM EST MON DEC 1 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EAST AND THEN NORTHEAST
FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. HIGH
PRESSURE WILL ALLOW CLEARING SKIES AND MILDER TEMPERATURES IN MID
WEEK BEFORE ANOTHER COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA ON THURSDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/...
SOME SLEET HAS BEEN REPORTED BY HABERSHAM COUNTY...AND HIGHER
REFLECTIVITIES NEAR THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER LATE THIS EVENING
SUGGEST THAT A BRIEF PERIOD OF RAIN/SLEET MIX IS POSSIBLE IN NE GA
AND THE WESTERN UPSTATE AS PRECIPITATION MOVES BACK IN THROUGH THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS. OTHERWISE...THE FORECAST APPEARS ON TRACK AS
LIGHT PRECIPITATION AND COLDER CLOUD TOPS BEGIN TO PUSH ACROSS NRN
GA AND BACK INTO THE SW NC MTNS LATE THIS EVENING. THE INCOMING 00Z
NAM CONTINUES TO FEATURE VERY HEALTHY QPF IN THE CURRENT WINTER
STORM WARNING AREA OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS...WITH OVER HALF AN INCH
ACROSS MUCH OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN. NO ADJUSTMENTS TO THE HAZARD
PRODUCTS APPEAR NEEDED AT THIS POINT. IF THE HIGHER NAM QPF VALUES
ARE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO CORRECT...THERE COULD END UP BEING A
TREMENDOUS GRADIENT IN SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE LOWEST MTN
VALLEYS...WHERE RAIN MAY MIX IN AT TIMES...TO THE HIGHEST PEAKS.
HAVE ALSO ADJUSTED NON DIURNAL TEMPS FOR LATE NIGHT WARMING IN THE
ERN PIEDMONT...AND ADDED AFORE MENTIONED SLEET TO SW LOCATIONS.
MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW SHOULD CONTINUE TO BOOST SNOW TOTALS ACROSS THE
WARNING AND ADVISORY AREAS THROUGH LATE MONDAY AS 850 FLOW SLOWLY
BECOMES MORE WESTERLY. WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH APPEAR LIKELY FOR
MANY LOCATIONS DURING PEAK MIXING MONDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 245 PM SUNDAY...SNOW WILL BE ONGOING ACROSS THE MTNS MONDAY
NITE AS COPIOUS MOISTURE AND WEAK LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY CONTINUE.
FLOW NEVER REALLY BECOMES DEEP NWLY. HOWEVER...THE FLOW DOES REMAIN
CYCLONIC WITH THE UPPER TROF OVER THE AREA. THE MOISTURE AND
INSTABILITY WILL KEEP SNOW SHOWERS GOING MOST OF THE NIGHT. EXPECT
ANOTHER INCH OR TWO OF SNOW OVERNIGHT IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WITH
UP TO AN INCH OR SNOW IN THE VALLEYS AS TEMPS RETURN TO BELOW
FREEZING THERE. STILL COULD SEE SOME SNOW SHOWERS MIXING IN ACROSS
THE MTNS OF NE GA AND THE UPSTATE AND THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE NC
FOOTHILLS. HOWEVER...NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THOSE AREAS.
SNOW SHOWERS BECOME SCATTERED OVER TUE MORNING AS MOISTURE AND
INSTABILITY DECREASE. COULD STILL SEE SOME VERY LIGHT ACCUMS HIGH
ELEVATIONS EARLY IN THE MORNING. SNOW SHOULD QUICKLY TAPER OFF BY
AFTERNOON. EXPECT SNOW TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ABOVE 3500 FT IN THE
WARNING AREA AND 1 TO 3 ELSEWHERE. DRY AND COOL CONDITIONS OUTSIDE
OF THE MTNS TUESDAY.
RIDGING SFC AND ALOFT BUILDS IN TUE NITE AND WED. LOWS TUE NITE
BELOW NORMAL AND HIGHS WED NEAR NORMAL. A FRONTAL SYSTEM APPROACHES
THE AREA WED NITE. MODEL TRENDS WERE TO SLOW THIS SYSTEM DOWN.
HOWEVER...12Z ECMWF CAME IN FASTER. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY...WILL
KEEP FCST DRY FOR NOW. LOWS NEAR NORMAL MTNS AND A LITTLE BELOW
ELSEWHERE.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 2 PM SUNDAY...HPC PREFERRED A BROAD BLEND OF MODEL GUIDANCE
FOR THE EXTENDED FORECAST TO SMOOTH OUT THE RANGE OF DETAILS WITH
SMALLER SCALE SYSTEMS...TRENDING A BIT SLOWER THEN THE GFS WITH
TIME. OVER THE SOUTHEAST...DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GFS AND THE HPC
SOLUTIONS WERE MINOR...AND GFS MOS WILL BE USED AS A STARTING POINT
FOR THE FORECAST.
THURSDAY STARTS WITH A BROAD UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN CANADA AND
THE GREAT LAKES...WITH A SHORTWAVE ROUNDING ITS BASE OVER THE LOWER
MS RIVER VALLEY. THIS TROUGH DRIVES A COLD FRONT EAST ACROSS OUR
AREA ON THURSDAY...WITH LIMITED MOISTURE AND A BRIEF DURATION OF
PRECIPITATION. ANY NORTHWEST FLOW SNOW SHOWERS BEHIND THE FRONT
ALONG THE TN BORDER WOULD APPEAR TO BE BRIEF AS WELL.
A STRONGER SHORTWAVE ROUND THE BASE OF THE TOUGH ON FRIDAY...AS A
COLD RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PROGRESSES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. THE
AXIS OF THIS SURFACE RIDGE MOVES EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS ON
SATURDAY...WHILE A SURFACE WAVE CROSSES THE MIDWEST. MOISTURE IN
ADVANCE OF THIS WAVE MAY SPREAD CLOUD COVER TO THE MOUNTAINS LATE
SATURDAY...AND SMALL POPS WILL BE CARRIED SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE
MOUNTAINS...IN THE FORM OF SNOW SHOWERS.
THE COLD FRONT EMANATING FROM THE MIDWEST WAVE CROSSES OUR AREA
EARLY SUNDAY...WITH LIMITED MOISTURE. CHANCE POPS WILL BE SPREAD
EAST...FROM THE BLUE RIDGE TO THE PIEDMONT....WITH THE SNOW LEVEL IN
THE MOUNTAINS LIFTING TO 3500 FEET.
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL BEHIND THE FIRST FRONT...LEAVING THURSDAY AS
THE ONLY NEAR NORMAL DAY...WITH THE REST OF THE PERIOD CLOSER TO
JANUARY CLIMATOLOGY.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS BREAKS...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE SLOW
TO SCOUR BUT SHOULD IMPROVE AS SW FLOW INCREASES 08-12Z. A RAIN OR
SNOW SHOWER WILL BE POSSIBLE AT KAVL AFTER DAYBREAK...BUT OTHER
SITES SHOULD REMAIN DRY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL INCREASE
STEADILY AND WINDS BECOME GUSTY FROM THE SW THRU THE AFTN BEFORE
TAPERING OFF THIS EVE.
OUTLOOK...SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MTNS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO TUE
MRNG. ANOTHER FRONT APPROACHES LATE WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THU WITH
PSBL CIG/VSBY RESTRICTIONS.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM EST TUESDAY FOR GAZ010.
NC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM EST TUESDAY FOR NCZ033-
048>050-053-063-064-501-503-505.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM EST TUESDAY FOR NCZ051-052-
058-059-062.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...HG
SHORT TERM...RWH
LONG TERM...JAT
AVIATION...RBHazardous weather outlook, Nov 30, 8:21 PM EST, 6 hours 39 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 821 PM EST SUN NOV 30 2008 NCZ051-052-058-059-062-020130- SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON- 821 PM EST SUN NOV 30 2008 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. GAZ010-NCZ033-048>050-053-063-064-501-503-505-020130- RABUN-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-BUNCOMBE-SOUTHERN JACKSON- TRANSYLVANIA-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS- 821 PM EST SUN NOV 30 2008 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. GAZ017-NCZ065-507-509-SCZ001>003-020130- HABERSHAM-HENDERSON-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS- OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS- 821 PM EST SUN NOV 30 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. RAIN SHOWERS MAY MIX WITH OR EVEN CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS TONIGHT. ONLY VERY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS...IF ANY...ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS MONDAY NIGHT. NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. GAZ018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-502-504-506-508- 510-SCZ004>014-019-020130- STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN- CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC- GREATER CALDWELL-GREATER BURKE-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER RUTHERFORD- EASTERN POLK-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE- SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC- CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 821 PM EST SUN NOV 30 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Illinois, December 1, 2008
- Winter Weather in Kansas, December 1, 2008
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, December 1, 2008
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, December 1, 2008
- Drought in Texas, December 1 to 31, 2008
- Dense Fog in California, December 1, 2008
- Drought in Tennessee, December 1 to 31, 2008
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, December 1, 2008
- Drought in Wisconsin, December 1 to 31, 2008
- Drought in Texas, December 1 to 31, 2008
- Winter Weather in Georgia, December 1, 2008
- Drought in Virginia, December 1 to 15, 2008
More
Every storm in Georgia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, December 2008
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 146486.