Winter Storm in Georgia, January 22 to 23, 2016

Name: Winter Storm in Georgia, January 22 to 23, 2016
Start: 2016-01-22T04:00
End: 2016-01-23T00:00
Location: Georgia

January 22 to 23, 2016 · NWS GSP · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 GSP wrote it up.

An area of low pressure spread precipitation into northeast Georgia by the early morning hours of the 22nd. Light snow, mixed with rain and sleet fell across the mountains and foothills during the pre-dawn hours, and continued through the morning. By early afternoon, up to a half inch of sleet and snow had fallen across the foothills, while several inches of snow had fallen across the high elevations. Roads conditions deteriorated quickly from late morning through early noon, resulting in many traffic accidents. Wintry precipitation continued into the afternoon, when most of the area saw a mix of snow and sleet, followed by a transition to light freezing rain, while elevations above about 2000 feet saw mainly snow. Total accumulations ranged from 1-3 inches of sleet and snow toward the I-85 corridor, with 5-8 inches of mainly snow common north of the Blue Ridge. Light icing also occurred on top of the sleet and snow.

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 Jan 22, 3:21 AM EST, 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 22, 3:21 AM EST, 39 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
321 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE SPREAD WINTRY
PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL
EVENTUALLY MOVE OFFSHORE ON SATURDAY WITH DRIER HIGH PRESSURE
SPREADING BACK OVER THE REGION IN ITS WAKE ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 230 AM FRIDAY...CONDITIONS ARE DETERIORATING
RAPIDLY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AS THE WINTER STORM GETS IN
GEAR. INITIALLY...TEMPERATURES ARE A LITTLE WARMER THAN ORIGINALLY
PROGGED ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND PORTIONS OF THE NC PIEDMONT...WITH
THE WETBULB 0 LINE STILL HOVERING ALONG THE STATE LINE AT AFD
TIME. HOWEVER...THIS WILL CHANGE SOON AS THE DAMMING REALLY SETS
UP AND THE BARRIER JET FOLLOWS SUIT. KGSP IS 34/32 AT AFD TIME...A
DROP OF 3 DEGREES IN JUST 2 HOURS...WITH SOME SLEET MIXED IN WITH
THE RAIN AS THE HIGHER REFLECTIVITIES MOVE OVER THE AREA. LOW
LEVEL CAA WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE...BRINGING THE COLDER /AND
DRIER/ SURFACE AIR FARTHER SOUTHWEST. WILL PROBABLY HAVE A 12Z
HIGH ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA AS CAA FROM THE DEVELOPING DAMMING
WILL CONTINUE TO DROP TEMPS THROUGH THE DAY.

WE HAD AN EARLIER CONCERN AS THE 00Z NAM WAS COMING IN...SINCE
IT WAS TRENDING A LITTLE FARTHER NORTH AND WARMER THROUGH THE
EVENT. GENERALLY THE NAM HANDLES DAMMING EVENTS PRETTY WELL DUE
IN PART OF COURSE TO JUST ITS HIGHER RESOLUTION. HOWEVER...AS
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE HAS COME IN...AND AS WPC HAS NOTED IN THEIR
MODEL DIAGNOSTIC DISCUSSION...THE NAM IS A NORTHERN OUTLIER WITH
THE SYSTEM ALOFT...AND THEN TRENDS SLOWER. SINCE ALL THE SREF
MEMBERS ARE NAM-BASED...THIS AUTOMATICALLY BRINGS INTO QUESTION
THE VALIDITY OF THE 03Z SREF. HAVE LEANED MUCH MORE TOWARD THE
GFS AND THE 12Z ECMWF...THOUGH WILL REEVALUATE AS NECESSARY AS
THE 00Z ECMWF TRICKLES IN.

OTHER CONCERN IS DEPTH OF THE WARM NOSE ACROSS THE AREA. 04Z SPECIAL
SOUNDING FROM UNCA HAD +2C JUST ABOVE 850MB...AND 06Z KGSO SOUNDING
WAS ALSO JUST BELOW +2C JUST ABOVE 850MB BUT VERY VERY DRY. 850MB
WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO BACK WHICH WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE WAA...AND
BY 130AM THE AVL AREA HAD CHANGED OVER TO A SNOW/SLEET MIX...SO
LATENT HEAT OF MELTING IS DEFINITELY HELPING TO ERODE THE WARM
NOSE. FARTHER NORTH...EVAPORATIVE COOLING WILL TAKE CARE OF THE
ISSUE. THE PRIMARY CONCERN FOR ICE WILL BE ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN NC PIEDMONT WHERE THAT MID-LEVEL WAA WILL
BRING A SUBSTANTIAL WARM NOSE OVER THE AREA BY MIDDAY TODAY. AS
MENTIONED ABOVE...CONTINUED CAA AT THE SURFACE FROM THE DAMMING WILL
RESULT IN SURFACE TEMPS DROPPING TO FREEZING BY DAYBREAK FOR ALL BUT
EXTREME SOUTHERN COUNTIES. ADDITIONALLY...ALL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO
POINT TO DRYSLOTTING PUSHING INTO WESTERN ZONES AROUND 18Z...AND
MOVING TO THE EAST OF THE AREA BY 00Z. WITHOUT MOISTURE IN THE
DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH ZONE...EVEN AREAS SEEING MAINLY A SNOW EVENT
COULD SEE A BRIEF PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE
UPPER LOW MOVES OVER THE FORECAST AREA...STEEPENING LAPSE RATES
AND UPWARD MOTION FROM SYNOPTIC LIFT WILL SATURATE THE COLUMN
AGAIN CHANGING OVER TO ALL SNOW FOR THE END. IF LAPSE RATES ARE
STEEP ENOUGH...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME BRIEF CONVECTIVE SNOW THAT
WILL RESULT IN INCREASED SNOWFALL RATES.

SO IF YOU'RE STILL WITH ME BY THIS POINT...ALL THIS REALLY ADDS
UP TO IS A VERY LONG AND DETAILED WAY TO SAY VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO
THE CURRENT SUITE OF PRODUCTS AND INFORMATION. COULD SEE A BIT OF
A DELAY IN FREEZING/FROZEN PTYPE ONSET FOR SOUTHERN COUNTIES BUT
END RESULT STILL THE SAME. SHOULD SEE A QUICK BURST OF SNOW/SLEET
EARLY THIS MORNING...CHANGING OVER TO FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE
UPSTATE AND PORTIONS OF THE SW NC PIEDMONT THROUGH THE DAY. AS THE
UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS...FREEZING RAIN SHOULD CHANGE BACK OVER TO
SNOW. ALL IN ALL A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM FOR THE AREA...WITH
UPWARDS OF A FOOT OF SNOW ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND A
LARGE SWATH OVER 1/2 INCH OF ICE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE UPSTATE
AND SOUTHERN NC PIEDMONT. REALLY SEE NO REASON TO DEVIATE FROM
WPC SNOW/ICE AMOUNTS THOUGH THERE DEFINITELY COULD BE LOCALLY
HEAVIER/LIGHTER AMOUNTS ESPECIALLY DEPENDING ON HOW CONVECTIVE BANDS
SET UP. WITH THESE SIGNIFICANT TOTALS AND WINTRY PRECIP HAVING
ALREADY BEGUN...PREPARATIONS FOR THE WINTER STORM SHOULD ALREADY
BE COMPLETE AND FROM HERE ON OUT...ANY TRAVEL SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
AT 230 AM FRIDAY...ON SATURDAY MORNING THE MODELS HAVE A LARGE UPPER
LOW CENTERED VERY NEAR TO CHARLOTTE...WITH SMALL SLUGS OF CHANNELED
VORTICITY ROUNDING THE LOW OVER OUR AREA. THE LOW PROGRESSES TO THE
NC COAST BY SATURDAY EVENING. THE WEAKENING LOW MOVES UP THE GULF
STREAM ON SATURDAY NIGHT...WHILE AND UPPER RIDGE AXIS MOVES FROM THE
PLAINS TOWARD THE MS RIVER VALLEY. THE UPPER RIDGE REACHES THE GREAT
LAKES AND GULF STATES ON SUNDAY NIGHT...THEN CROSSES THE EASTERN
SEABOARD ON MONDAY. ON MONDAY NIGHT A POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH
WILL EXTEND FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO NORTHERN MX.

AT THE SURFACE...ON SATURDAY MORNING A SURFACE LOW WILL BE OFF THE
NC COAST...WHILE MOIST ATLANTIC FLOW MOVES INLAND TO THE NORTH OF
THE LOW...AND THEN SOUTH OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GA.
MODEST UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LIFT...
INCLUDING OVER AREAS EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS. VERTICAL PROFILES
CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF SNOW EARLY IN THE DAY...BUT DRYING FROM
ALOFT WILL GRADUALLY END SNOWFALL EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS. LOW LEVELS
REMAINS MOIST ENOUGH AND COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. DRY HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER OUR AREA ON
SUNDAY...WITH TEMPERATURES MODERATING AS HEIGHTS RISE ALOFT. THE
SURFACE HIGH REACHES THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY MONDAY MORNING...WHILE
GULF MOISTURE STREAMS UP THE MS RIVER VALLEY AHEAD OF ANOTHER FRONT.
TEMPERATURES WILL RISE FROM AROUND 17 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL TO 6
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AT 230 AM FRIDAY...ON MONDAY MORNING AND UPPER RIDGE WILL BE OVER
THE EASTERN USA...WHILE A TROUGH WILL EXTEND FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL
TO SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE NATION. THE TROUGH SLOWLY PROGRESSES
SUCH THAT BY THURSDAY IT EXTENDS FROM THE NORTHEAST TO THE GULF OF
MEXICO.

AT THE SURFACE..A COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR AREA FROM THE WEST ON
MONDAY NIGHT...CROSSING OUR AREA ON TUESDAY. GULF INFLOW WILL
SUPPORT PRECIPITATION AHEAD OF AND BEHIND THE FRONT. FORECAST
SOUNDINGS ARE INITIALLY NOT MOIST ENOUGH AT UPPER LEVELS TO SUPPORT
ICE NUCLEATION...AND FREEZING RAIN APPEARS MORE LIKELY EARLY ON. AS
THE FRONT MOVES FARTHER EAST AND COOLER AIR ARRIVES...PRECIPITATION
MAY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW OR FREEZING RAIN...ALTHOUGH THE MODELS
SUGGEST A RACE BETWEEN THE END OF PRECIPITATION AND SAID CHANGEOVER.

DRY HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. ON THURSDAY LIMITED MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER
SHORTWAVE REACHES OUR AREA FROM THE NW...BUT THE GFS MODEL SOUNDING
IS NOT OVERLY SUPPORTIVE OF PRECIPITATION. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL
FROM NEAR NORMAL TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL.

&&

.AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AT KCLT...A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL BRING A MIXED BAG OF
PRECIPITATION TO THE TERMINAL. PRECIPITATION SHOULD REACH THE
AIRPORT SHORTLY...TEMPERATURES REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING FOR NOW BUT
PLENTY OF ROOM TO WETBULB OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. STARTED
THE TAF VFR WITH A RA/PL MIX AS MANY AREAS ACROSS NC ALREADY
REPORTING PL. EXPECT A RAPID CHANGEOVER TO PL/SN AFTER PRECIPITATION
ONSET...BUT WITH A TRANSITION TO FZRA AFTER SUNRISE. EXPECT MAINLY
FZRA DURING THE DAY...TRANSITIONING BACK TO SN/PL AND THEN JUST
SN AS THE UPPER LOW SWINGS ACROSS. WHILE THESE ARE THE EXPECTED
TRENDS...IT SHOULD POINTED OUT THAT THE EXACT TIMING OF THESE PRECIP
TRANSITIONS IS VERY UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. OTHERWISE...CIGS AND
VSBY WILL DETERIORATE THROUGH MVFR...WITH IFR TO LIFR EXPECTED BY
DAYBREAK. CIGS WILL BE IN AND OUT BETWEEN IFR/LIFR/VLIFR BETWEEN
HEAVIER BURSTS OF PRECIPITATION WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE
NE AT 10-15 KTS BY DAYBREAK...WITH GUSTS INTO THE 20S POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE DAY.

ELSEWHERE...OVERALL RESTRICTIONS AND WINDS SIMILAR TO KCLT...WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF KAVL WHERE SE WINDS WILL PREVAIL UNTIL AROUND
00Z. PRECIP HAS ALREADY ONSET FOR OTHER SITES AND ALL STILL -RA
EXCEPT KAVL...WHICH BY METAR IS -RA BUT BY SURROUNDING REPORTS
IS WIDESPREAD -PL SO HAVE STARTED THE TAF THAT WAY. AT KAVL AND
KHKY...MOSTLY A SNOW EVENT IS EXPECTED...WITH PERHAPS SOME PERIODS
OF SLEET. KHKY MAY ALSO BRIEFLY TURN TO FZRA BY THE END OF THE
PERIOD BUT HAVE NOT INCLUDED IN THE TAF AT THIS TIME. KGSP/KGMU
-RA AT ONSET...TRANSITIONING TO -PL/SN BEFORE DAYBREAK...THEN A
TRANSITION TO MAINLY FZRA LATER THIS MORNING AND CONTINUING DURING
THE DAY. KAND WILL REMAIN -RA A LITTLE LONGER BUT WILL ALSO SEE
A TRANSITION TO FZRA...CURRENT TIMING EARLY AFTERNOON. ALL SHOULD
TRANSITION TO -SN THIS EVENING INTO OVERNIGHT WITH THE UPPER LOW
SWINGING THROUGH.

OUTLOOK...PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TAPER OFF
SATURDAY. GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AND
MONDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL BRING CHANCES FOR MAINLY LIGHT PRECIP
TO THE AREA TUESDAY.

CONFIDENCE TABLE...

            08-14Z        14-20Z        20-02Z        02-06Z
KCLT       MED   72%     HIGH  80%     MED   77%     MED   63%
KGSP       HIGH  87%     HIGH  86%     HIGH  83%     MED   73%
KAVL       HIGH  86%     HIGH  93%     HIGH  90%     HIGH  82%
KHKY       MED   69%     HIGH  86%     MED   78%     MED   78%
KGMU       MED   74%     HIGH  81%     HIGH  82%     MED   78%
KAND       HIGH  91%     MED   75%     HIGH  80%     HIGH  83%

THE PERCENTAGE REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING
WITH THE SCHEDULE TAF ISSUANCE FLIGHT RULE CATEGORY.  COMPLET HOURLY
EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLES AND ENSEMBLE FORECASTS
ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR GAZ010-017-
     018-026-028.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR GAZ029.
NC...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NCZ033-048>053-
     058-059-062>065-501-503-505-507-509.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR NCZ035>037-
     056-057-068>072-082-502-504-506-508-510.
SC...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR SCZ001>010-
     012>014.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR SCZ011-019.

&&

SYNOPSIS...CSH
NEAR TERM...TDP
SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM...JAT
AVIATION...TDP

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 21, 3:56 PM EST, 12 hours 4 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501-503-505-507-509-222100-
AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

..FRIDAY...HEAVY SNOW LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SATURDAY...SNOW LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...BLACK ICE LIKELY.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

NCZ035-502-504-506-508-510-222100-
ALEXANDER-GREATER CALDWELL-GREATER BURKE-EASTERN MCDOWELL-
GREATER RUTHERFORD-EASTERN POLK-
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST
SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS OF WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA...JUST EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

..FRIDAY...HEAVY SNOW LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SATURDAY...SNOW LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...BLACK ICE LIKELY.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-NCZ036-037-056-057-068-069-SCZ001>003-222100-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST
SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER
VALLEY OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA...AND THE UPPER PIEDMONT OF NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

..FRIDAY...WINTRY MIX LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SATURDAY...SNOW LIKELY. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...BLACK ICE LIKELY.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

NCZ070>072-082-SCZ004>010-012>014-222100-
GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-LAURENS-
CHESTER-
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST
SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER PIEDMONT OF NORTH
AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

..FRIDAY...DAMAGING ICE POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
..SATURDAY...SNOW LIKELY. FREEZING RAIN WILL TRANSITION BACK TO
SNOW EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS
CONTINUING THROUGH AFTERNOON. PLEASE SEE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...BLACK ICE POSSIBLE.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

GAZ029-SCZ011-019-222100-
ELBERT-ABBEVILLE-GREENWOOD-
356 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM
EST SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ABBEVILLE AND GREENWOOD
COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA...AND ELBERT COUNTY GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

..FRIDAY...FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE. SEE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..SATURDAY...SNOW POSSIBLE. PRECIPITATION MAY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW
AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES AWAY.
FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN SLICK DRIVING CONDITIONS ON
UNTREATED ROADS AND BRIDGES DURING THE MORNING HOURS.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

WIMBERLEY

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 22, 1:58 AM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
158 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0103 AM     FREEZING RAIN    1 E EAST FLAT ROCK      35.29N  82.40W
01/22/2016  E0.02 INCH       HENDERSON          NC   PUBLIC

0120 AM     SNOW             BENT CREEK              35.51N  82.61W
01/22/2016  E0.1 INCH        BUNCOMBE           NC   PUBLIC

0121 AM     SLEET            2 SE LENOIR             35.89N  81.51W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        CALDWELL           NC   PUBLIC

0122 AM     SLEET            PINEVILLE               35.08N  80.89W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        MECKLENBURG        NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0130 AM     SLEET            MAIDEN                  35.58N  81.21W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        CATAWBA            NC   PUBLIC

0140 AM     SLEET            3 NNE BEREA             34.92N  82.44W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        GREENVILLE         SC   PUBLIC

0148 AM     SLEET            CONOVER                 35.71N  81.22W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        CATAWBA            NC   PUBLIC

0149 AM     SLEET            KINGS MOUNTAIN          35.24N  81.35W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        CLEVELAND          NC   PUBLIC

0150 AM     SLEET            4 NNW ENOCHVILLE        35.58N  80.69W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        ROWAN              NC   PUBLIC

0151 AM     SLEET            MOORESVILLE             35.58N  80.81W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        IREDELL            NC   PUBLIC

0156 AM     SLEET            GREENVILLE              34.84N  82.37W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        GREENVILLE         SC   NWS OFFICE

            RAIN MIXED WITH A LITTLE SLEET

&&

CSH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 2:52 AM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
252 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0200 AM     SLEET            3 SE WELCOME            34.79N  82.42W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        GREENVILLE         SC   PUBLIC

0207 AM     FREEZING RAIN    1 NNW BEREA             34.89N  82.47W
01/22/2016  E0.01 INCH       GREENVILLE         SC   PUBLIC

            ROADS GETTING ICY

0210 AM     SNOW             CONNELLY SPRINGS        35.75N  81.50W
01/22/2016  E0.1 INCH        BURKE              NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0218 AM     SNOW             STECOAH                 35.37N  83.69W
01/22/2016  E0.5 INCH        GRAHAM             NC   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            DOT REPORTS SNOW STARTING TO ACCUMULATE NEAR TOPTON AND
            STECOAH MTN

0230 AM     SLEET            FARMINGTON              36.01N  80.53W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        DAVIE              NC   PUBLIC

0236 AM     SNOW             ASHEVILLE               35.57N  82.55W
01/22/2016  E0.2 INCH        BUNCOMBE           NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0239 AM     SLEET            1 NNE YORK              35.01N  81.23W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        YORK               SC   PUBLIC

0239 AM     SLEET            STATESVILLE             35.79N  80.89W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        IREDELL            NC   PUBLIC

0240 AM     SLEET            IRON STATION            35.44N  81.16W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        LINCOLN            NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0246 AM     SNOW             FRANKLIN                35.18N  83.38W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        MACON              NC   911 CALL CENTER

0247 AM     SNOW             1 WNW RAINBOW SPRINGS   35.09N  83.57W
01/22/2016  E0.5 INCH        MACON              NC   911 CALL CENTER

            SLICK SPOTS ON HIGHWAY 64

0248 AM     SNOW             HIGHLANDS               35.05N  83.20W
01/22/2016  E1.0 INCH        MACON              NC   911 CALL CENTER

0249 AM     SNOW             BLACK MOUNTAIN          35.61N  82.33W
01/22/2016  E0.4 INCH        BUNCOMBE           NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0251 AM     SLEET            2 S DUNCAN              34.91N  82.14W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        SPARTANBURG        SC   PUBLIC

&&

CSH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 2:57 AM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
257 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0257 AM     SLEET            GREER                   34.94N  82.21W
01/22/2016  M0.1 INCH        SPARTANBURG        SC   NWS OFFICE

&&

CSH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 3:02 AM EST, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
302 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0301 AM     SNOW             6 SSE ALARKA            35.27N  83.40W
01/22/2016  M0.7 INCH        MACON              NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            2600 FEET

&&

CSH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 3:26 AM EST, 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
326 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0303 AM     SLEET            MATTHEWS                35.12N  80.71W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        MECKLENBURG        NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0306 AM     SNOW             5 W MOUNTAIN CITY       34.92N  83.48W
01/22/2016  E1.0 INCH        RABUN              GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            POWER OUT AS WELL DUE TO ICE ACCRETION

0310 AM     SNOW             CLAYTON                 34.88N  83.40W
01/22/2016  M1.0 INCH        RABUN              GA   911 CALL CENTER

0322 AM     SLEET            GASTONIA                35.25N  81.17W
01/22/2016  E0.1 INCH        GASTON             NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            ACCUMULATING ON GARRISON ROAD

&&

CSH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 3:55 AM EST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
355 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0330 AM     SLEET            LAKE WYLIE              35.11N  81.05W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        YORK               SC   PUBLIC

0330 AM     SLEET            2 SSE DUNCAN            34.91N  82.13W
01/22/2016  E0.1 INCH        SPARTANBURG        SC   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SNOW/SLEET MIX

0334 AM     SNOW             BRYSON CITY             35.43N  83.45W
01/22/2016  E0.0 INCH        SWAIN              NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

0335 AM     SLEET            KANNAPOLIS              35.49N  80.62W
01/22/2016  E0.1 INCH        CABARRUS           NC   PUBLIC

0336 AM     SNOW             2 SE WOODFIN            35.62N  82.56W
01/22/2016  E2.0 INCH        BUNCOMBE           NC   SOCIAL MEDIA

            UNCA

0341 AM     SNOW             SYLVA                   35.37N  83.22W
01/22/2016  E0.5 INCH        JACKSON            NC   911 CALL CENTER

0353 AM     SLEET            GSP AIRPORT             34.88N  82.22W
01/22/2016  M0.2 INCH        SPARTANBURG        SC   NWS OFFICE

&&

CSH

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, Rabun

When: January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 12:00 AM EST
Where: Rabun forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.882, -83.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Habersham

When: January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 12:00 AM EST
Where: Habersham forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.631, -83.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stephens

When: January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 12:00 AM EST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.554, -83.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Franklin

When: January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 12:00 AM EST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.375, -83.229 (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

Every storm in Georgia in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Georgia, January 2016

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: 613876, 613877, 613878, 613879.