An area of low pressure along the Georgia coast on 31 January intensified as it tracks off the North Carolina coast into the early morning hours of 1 February. With abundant cold air in place with cold high pressure over the northern Middle Atlantic, widespread snow fell across central North Carolina.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS RAH wrote it up.
An area of low pressure along the Georgia coast on 31 January intensified as it tracks off the North Carolina coast into the early morning hours of 1 February. With abundant cold air in place with cold high pressure over the northern Middle Atlantic, widespread snow fell across central North Carolina.
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 Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 6:56 PM EST, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 656 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... As of 300 PM Saturday.... There has been a minor downward adjustment to the snowfall totals particularly over the eastern Piedmont, but much of central North Carolina is still expected to see significant impacts with hazardous travel this afternoon into tonight. Precipitation chances mid-week have moderately increased, but details related to ptype and impacts (if any) remain unclear. && .KEY MESSAGES... As of 300 PM Saturday.... 1) A Winter Storm Warning continues for all of central NC until Sunday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 4-8 inches (locally 8-10 inches) are expected across the western Piedmont and western Sandhills as well as east of I-95, with lesser amounts of 2-4 inches in between (including the Triangle). 2) A prolonged Arctic air mass in place will result in well below normal temperatures across central NC from today through early next week. 3) Precipitation chances increasing mid-week, but details relating to amounts, timing, and ptype are still uncertain. && .DISCUSSION... As of 300 PM Saturday.... KEY MESSAGE 1... A Winter Storm Warning continues for all of central NC until Sunday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 4-8 inches (locally 8-10 inches) are expected across the western Piedmont and western Sandhills as well as east of I-95, with lesser amounts of 2- 4 inches in between (including the Triangle). Current water vapor imagery depicts the mid/upper low that will be the main driver of our winter storm currently spinning over the southern Appalachians. The associated neutrally-tilted trough will take on a negative tilt as it moves across and offshore the Carolinas tonight and Sunday morning. Meanwhile a surface low is currently located east of the southern NC coast along a baroclinic zone. As it interacts with the mid/upper low and Gulf Stream, it will rapidly deepen and slow down east of the Outer Banks, becoming sub-980 mb tonight and ~970 mb tomorrow as it finally pushes NE out to sea on Sunday afternoon. The atmosphere is sufficiently cold that all snow will fall with this event everywhere across central NC. The main question is how much precipitation falls and where the banding sets up, but the mid/upper low to our west taking longer to interact with the coastal low to our east has resulted in a slight lowering of forecast snowfall totals across parts of our area particularly the eastern Piedmont. There are two main areas of snow so far today across NC. The first is a persistent band forced by the mid/upper low and a maxima of 850 mb frontogenesis nicely depicted on SPC mesoanalysis which has set up over the western Piedmont and western Sandhills today. This has resulted in some snowfall reports of 4 to 8 inches already in the NW Piedmont, highest around Lexington. The snow could be heavy at times with rates as high as an inch per hour, and visibilities as low as a quarter mile are being reported. As the mid/upper low pushes east and mid-level height falls increase, this band should continue slowly moving east through the rest of the Piedmont (including the Triangle) and Sandhills the rest of this afternoon into this evening from about 21z to 03z. This will be the best chance for those areas to receive a few inches of snow. Meanwhile a separate lighter band associated with weak 925 mb frontogenesis was located over the Coastal Plain, but the heaviest has now shifted to the east of our CWA. As the coastal low deepens this evening and overnight, snow should expand back westward into the Coastal Plain. Some guidance shows it may even throw precipitation as far west as the Triangle, giving them some additional light snow overnight. The snow is of the dry and fluffy variety with the very cold temperatures in place as snow to liquid ratios through the event generally range from 15:1 to 20:1. Based on the latest high-res guidance and coarser global models like the GFS and ECMWF which have all come in better agreement, liquid equivalent QPF for the event is generally expected to range from a quarter to half an inch across the western Piedmont and western Sandhills, as well as east of I-95. This translates to a storm total snowfall forecast of 4-8 inches there, with isolated 8-10 inches possible across our far western counties. In between across much of the US-1 corridor including the Triangle region where very little snow has fallen so far today, there is a minimum in storm total QPF on the order of a tenth to quarter inch, which translates to 2 to 4 inches of snow. This is not due to a real dry slot (the column is sufficiently moist), but due to a gap in lift between the mid/upper low to our west and the coastal low to our east. Despite these trends, even where only 2-3 inches of snow falls, travel will likely be very difficult if not impossible at times, as temperatures are only in the mid-teens to lower-20s, more than cold enough for snow to stick quite efficiently on all surfaces including roads. Wind gusts of 20-30 mph have been reported at times, and this will continue through the overnight hours, perhaps gusting as high as 40 mph mainly in the Coastal Plain. This could cause blowing and drifting of snow, reducing visibilities to less than a mile, especially considering it will be light and easily blown around. Brief blizzard conditions even can't be ruled out over the Coastal Plain. There could also be isolated power outages, but the lightweight variety of snow and lack of ice should keep trees and power lines from being weighed down too much and prevent widespread outages from taking place. Snow will end from NW to SE tonight from 03z to 12z. But gusty NW winds behind the deepening low could keep some blowing snow through the day on Sunday. KEY MESSAGE 2... A prolonged Arctic air mass in place will result in well below normal temperatures across central NC from today through early next week. Cold Weather Advisory is in effect till 1 am tonight. This Advisory will transition to an Extreme Cold Warning after 1 am everywhere as temperatures plummet and wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph pick up area- wide. Wind chills as low as 0 to -5 will be possible tonight into early Sunday morning. Blustery conditions will persist through mid to late Sunday morning, but winds should relax by afternoon as the low pulls offshore. High temps will remain well below normal on Sunday in the upper 20s/around 30. Overnight lows will easily drop into the upper single digits to lower teens everywhere Sunday night. Winds should largely diminish overnight Sunday as the low pulls further offshore, but general minimum wind chills will likely reach Cold Weather Advisory criteria for much of central NC Sunday night. Nwly flow aloft behind the departing low keeps conditions cold Monday as the arctic high transitions across the Chesapeake. Given the cold airmass, and likely remnants of lingering snowpack, highs will struggle to reach the mid to upper 30s Monday afternoon. Overnight lows Monday will again be quite cold in the mid teens, however calm winds should preclude the need for cold weather advisories. Flow aloft turns zonal Tuesday with some moderation in the low-level thicknesses. Daytime highs will reach the lower to mid 40s both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. A brief shot of colder air may be possible behind our next potential system Thursday. KEY MESSAGE 3... Precipitation chances increasing mid-week, but details relating to amounts, timing, and ptype are still uncertain. There continues to be a signal for potential precipitation middle of next week but details in timing, ptype, and potential impacts remain somewhat vague at this point. It does appear that ensembles do at least show moderately high probabilities for measurable precipitation Tuesday night through Wednesday. As such, rode with the NBM's high chance to low likely POPs during that time period. Although, even the 95th percentile 24 hour QPF over that period is quite low amongst ensembles (a few hundreds to a few tenths of an inch). Will maintain a period of rain/snow mix, but it does appear to possible be a cold air chasing the moisture kind of setup we typically see here. Thus, would be weary of any simulated snowfall total maps this far out. && .AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 655 PM Saturday... 24 hour TAF period: Where snow is occurring, MVFR/IFR vsbys will prevail, with LIFR conditions (1/4SM/FZFG) in the heaviest snow. KFAY will be the last site to fill in, while conditions may gradually improve a little at KINT over the next few hours. Snow will continue for the next several hours, gradually ending from NNW to SE overnight, with KRWI and KFAY the last to clear the snow. Expect VFR conditions to return by daybreak at all but FAY, which may hold on to some sub-VFR and snow into the morning hours. Increasing winds are the other aviation concern, with gusts expected to peak between 03Z and 08Z as the low offshore rapidly deepens. However, gusts at a couple terminals intermittently cut off over the past few hours. If that occurs overnight, there could be some LLWS concerns, with 35-40 kts at 2kft (up to 50 kts at 2kft over KRWI for a few hours). Winds should start to decrease Sun aft/eve, but remain a bit breezy through the end of the TAF period. Outlook: Some intermittent gusts into the teens may linger through Sun eve before abating Sun night. VFR conditions and dry weather should prevail through Tue. The next chance for sub-VFR conditions and precipitation is Tue night through Wed night, with a return to dry/VFR conditions thereafter. && .CLIMATE... Record Low Temperatures: January 31: KGSO: 3/1966, KRDU: 3/1966, KFAY: 9/1934 February 1: KGSO:-4/1936, KRDU: 8/1981, KFAY: 1/1936 Record Low Maximum Temperatures: January 31: KGSO: 22/1936, KRDU: 27/1948, KFAY: 22/1966 February 1: KGSO: 27/1971, KRDU: 28/1900, KFAY: 32/1981 February 2: KGSO: 30/1951, KRDU: 31/1994, KFAY: 31/1948 && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 7 AM EST Sunday for NCZ007>010- 021>026-038>041-073>076-083-084. Cold Weather Advisory until 1 AM EST Sunday for NCZ007>011- 021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089. Extreme Cold Warning from 1 AM to 10 AM EST Sunday for NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089. Winter Storm Warning until 1 PM EST Sunday for NCZ011-027-028- 042-043-077-078-085-086-088-089. && DISCUSSION...Danco/Luchetti AVIATION...10 CLIMATE...RAH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Raleigh NC 450 AM EST Sat Jan 31 2026 NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-073>076-083-084-011000- Person-Granville-Vance-Warren-Forsyth-Guilford-Alamance-Orange- Durham-Franklin-Davidson-Randolph-Chatham-Wake-Stanly-Montgomery- Moore-Lee-Anson-Richmond- 450 AM EST Sat Jan 31 2026 ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY... ...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY... ...EXTREME COLD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 AM EST SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today 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. Cold Weather Advisory. Extreme Cold Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Storm Warning. Extreme Cold Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed today into early Sunday. NCZ011-027-028-042-043-077-078-085-086-088-089-011000- Halifax-Nash-Edgecombe-Johnston-Wilson-Harnett-Wayne-Scotland-Hoke- Cumberland-Sampson- 450 AM EST Sat Jan 31 2026 ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SUNDAY... ...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY... ...EXTREME COLD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 AM EST SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today 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. Cold Weather Advisory. Extreme Cold Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Storm Warning. Extreme Cold Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed today into early Sunday.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1000 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0954 PM Snow 3 SW Carpenter 35.80N 78.93W
01/31/2026 M2.8 Inch Chatham NC Public
&&
DLPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1001 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0955 PM Snow 2 NW Raleigh 35.84N 78.68W
01/31/2026 M2.5 Inch Wake NC Public
Social media report.
&&
DLPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1006 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1005 PM Snow 3 ESE Clayton 35.63N 78.41W
01/31/2026 M4.5 Inch Johnston NC NWS Employee
Updated total so far.
&&
DLPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1027 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1018 PM Snow 5 N Lake Wheeler 35.77N 78.71W
01/31/2026 M1.0 Inch Wake NC Public
1017 PM Snow 2 NE Purnell 36.04N 78.54W
01/31/2026 M3.5 Inch Franklin NC Public
1015 PM Snow Seven Lakes 35.26N 79.59W
01/31/2026 M4.5 Inch Moore NC Trained Spotter
1012 PM Snow 3 S Winston-Salem 36.05N 80.28W
01/31/2026 M7.5 Inch Forsyth NC Public
1010 PM Snow Ellerbe 35.07N 79.76W
01/31/2026 M6.0 Inch Richmond NC Public
1005 PM Snow 5 SE Efland 36.00N 79.14W
01/31/2026 M3.5 Inch Orange NC Public
1004 PM Snow 2 SW Benson 35.35N 78.56W
01/31/2026 M1.0 Inch Harnett NC Public
1001 PM Snow 2 SE New Hope 35.79N 77.92W
01/31/2026 M8.5 Inch Wilson NC Public
1000 PM Snow Southern Pines 35.19N 79.40W
01/31/2026 M5.0 Inch Moore NC Public
1000 PM Snow 1 SSW Elroy 35.32N 77.93W
01/31/2026 M7.5 Inch Wayne NC Public
1000 PM Snow Stanfield 35.24N 80.42W
01/31/2026 M9.0 Inch Stanly NC Public
1000 PM Snow Norwood 35.23N 80.12W
01/31/2026 M7.0 Inch Stanly NC Public
1000 PM Snow Albemarle 35.36N 80.19W
01/31/2026 M7.0 Inch Stanly NC Public
1000 PM Snow 4 ENE Stanleyville 36.23N 80.20W
01/31/2026 M9.0 Inch Forsyth NC Trained Spotter
Baux Mountain Road.
0956 PM Snow 1 W Apex 35.73N 78.86W
01/31/2026 M0.3 Inch Wake NC Public
0956 PM Snow 5 S Raleigh 35.75N 78.67W
01/31/2026 M1.2 Inch Wake NC Public
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1114 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 PM Snow 2 N Durham 36.01N 78.92W
01/31/2026 M2.5 Inch Durham NC Public
1045 PM Snow 1 SW Roxboro 36.40N 78.99W
01/31/2026 M6.5 Inch Person NC Public
1045 PM Snow Oxford 36.32N 78.59W
01/31/2026 M4.0 Inch Granville NC Public
1045 PM Snow Stovall 36.45N 78.57W
01/31/2026 M5.5 Inch Granville NC Public
1049 PM Snow 1 NE Rougemont 36.23N 78.91W
01/31/2026 M6.2 Inch Durham NC Public
1049 PM Snow 2 NW Monticello 36.21N 79.71W
01/31/2026 M9.0 Inch Guilford NC Public
1053 PM Snow Smithfield 35.51N 78.34W
01/31/2026 M6.0 Inch Johnston NC Public
1055 PM Snow 3 NE Youngsville 36.06N 78.44W
01/31/2026 M3.5 Inch Franklin NC Trained Spotter
1100 PM Snow Spring Lake 35.18N 78.98W
01/31/2026 M2.0 Inch Cumberland NC Public
Report from WRAL.
1100 PM Snow Creedmoor 36.12N 78.69W
01/31/2026 E3.0 Inch Granville NC Public
Report from WRAL.
1100 PM Snow 1 NW Pinehurst 35.19N 79.47W
01/31/2026 M4.5 Inch Moore NC Public
1100 PM Snow 3 NW Roxboro 36.44N 79.02W
01/31/2026 M6.5 Inch Person NC Public
Report from WRAL.
1100 PM Snow Newton Grove 35.25N 78.36W
01/31/2026 E2.0 Inch Sampson NC Public
Report from WRAL.
1102 PM Snow 2 NE Purnell 36.04N 78.54W
01/31/2026 M4.0 Inch Franklin NC Public
1103 PM Snow 2 N Research Triangle 35.89N 78.83W
01/31/2026 M2.0 Inch Durham NC Public
1104 PM Snow 2 S Thomasville 35.86N 80.08W
01/31/2026 M13.8 Inch Davidson NC Public
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1144 PM EST Sat Jan 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1045 PM Snow 3 SW Garner 35.67N 78.67W
01/31/2026 M2.4 Inch Wake NC Public
1110 PM Snow Jamestown 36.00N 79.93W
01/31/2026 M13.0 Inch Guilford NC Public
Social media repot.
1115 PM Snow 2 NW Rolesville 35.95N 78.48W
01/31/2026 M4.5 Inch Wake NC Public
1115 PM Snow 4 NE Lake Wheeler 35.75N 78.69W
01/31/2026 M1.8 Inch Wake NC Public
1125 PM Snow 4 S Lake Wheeler 35.64N 78.73W
01/31/2026 M1.5 Inch Wake NC NWS Employee
1139 PM Snow 3 E Stanleyville 36.20N 80.21W
01/31/2026 M9.0 Inch Forsyth NC Public
1141 PM Snow 2 SW Benson 35.35N 78.56W
01/31/2026 M2.0 Inch Harnett NC Public
1141 PM Snow 2 SE New Hope 35.79N 77.92W
01/31/2026 M10.0 Inch Wilson NC Public
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A total of 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across the county.
A total of 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across the county.
A total of 4 to 7 inches of snow fell across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, February 2026
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: 1313348, 1313349, 1313350.