Daily Weather Briefing for Tuesday, March 14, 2017

SCHOOL DELAYS (added at 5:30 am)

Macon County

Highlands School is on a one hour delay with no buses on icy roads

Jackson County

Blue Ridge District -- SCHEDULE B
Smoky Mountain District Two hour delay with no buses on icy roads

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

...Late-season winter storm for the East Coast on Tuesday...

...Arctic air will remain in place across much of the central and eastern U.S. through much of the week...

It continues feeling like winter across much of the country, despite it being mid-March. A large surface high pressure ridge over south-central Canada is sprawling southward into the central and eastern U.S., allowing for a continuous supply of arctic air and January-like temperatures through the middle of the work week. Afternoon highs are expected to be on the order of 15 to 30 degrees below normal from the northern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic region, with the possibility of some record low maximum temperatures in the Mid Atlantic by midweek. Freeze warnings are currently in place for much of the Mid Mississippi Valley and portions of the western Ohio Valley through Thursday.

Things get interesting for the East Coast beginning this evening and tonight. A low pressure system currently moving northeast across the Ohio Valley is expected to phase with another low off the southeast U.S. coast by Tuesday. This will allow for a strong nor'easter to develop near the coast, producing a late-season snowstorm from the central Appalachians to New England, including many of the large cities in the Northeast U.S. Widespread winter storm warnings are in effect for heavy snowfall accumulations from the northern Mid Atlantic through the entire Northeast U.S., with some areas likely getting in excess of a foot from eastern Pennsylvania to southern New England. The tricky part of the forecast deals with the rain/snow/ice line over the Mid-Atlantic region with a tight gradient in accumulations expected near the greater Washington DC metro area. Closer to the coast from southern New Jersey to the Carolinas, rain is expected with amounts in excess of an inch likely.

Elsewhere across the continental U.S., onshore flow will once again be the story across the Pacific Northwest. This will keep rain showers in play across much of the Pacific Northwest and Northern Great Basin over the next few days. The impending rainfall will combine with above freezing temperatures and snow melt, leading to flooding concerns from the Pacific coast inland into the Northern Rockies. Flood watches, advisories, and hydrologic outlooks are in place as a result. Warm conditions will continue across the southwestern U.S. with no rain or snow in the forecast. The lower elevations of the Desert Southwest could even reach the lower 90s for highs over the next few days with an upper level ridge in place.

LOCAL OUTLOOK

Cold Canadian high pressure will continue to bring below normal temperatures to our region through the next several days. A cold front approaches from the west tonight as low pressure develops along the Carolina coast. This low will become a powerful noreaster moving up the coast to New England. Some of the coldest air in weeks is expected Wednesday night. Another low pressure system approaches the area on Saturday.

Weather Almanac

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 85°F in Franklin in 1967
Lowest Temperature 4°F in Highlands in 1926
Greatest Rainfall 5.38 inches in Highlands in 1913
Greatest Snowfall 6.5 inches in Highlands in 1993

Greatest Snowfall in one day recorded in Macon County was 25.5 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station on March 13, 1993


THREE DAY OUTLOOK




TODAY

Patchy fog and snow flurries early. Mostly cloudy with highs near the lower 40s and winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph. A wind field will be moving over Macon County from around 8 am today until about 8 pm tomorrow night. Wind gusts in the valleys will be up to 20 to 30 mph, with higher elevations reaching 30 to 50 mph. Scattered power outages may occur as limbs and trees may fall on power lines.


TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows near the upper teens and lower 20s and wind chills dropping as low as the single digits. Winds will be 10 to 15 mph from the northwest, gusting to 20 to 30 mph at times.



WEDNESDAY

Sunny with highs near freezing and wind chills in the 20s. Winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 25 mph.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear with lows near the mid to upper teens and and wind chills 5 to 10 degrees lower. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.



THURSDAY

Sunny with highs near the mid to upper 40s.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear with lows near the low to mid 20s.


HAZARDS

Some area roadways may be slick this morning, so leave a little early and increase your following distance to the vehicle in front of you. Winds will also be a little high today. A wind field will be crossing Macon County from around 8 am today until 8 pm tomorrow night. There may be scattered power outages as limbs or trees fall on power lines. IF you're driving or hiking in the high country, be on the lookout for falling limbs. If you see a downed power line, please do not attempt to touch it. Call 911 if there is fire or a life safety issue.

HOW TO REPORT AN ELECTRICAL OUTAGE

Duke Energy

Call 800.769.3766 or in Spanish 866.4.Apagón (866.427.2466).

If you see a fallen power line or safety hazard, call Duke Energy at 800.Power.On (800.769.3766) or in Spanish 866.4.Apagón (866.427.2466) or contact your local emergency services immediately. Do not touch a power line or anything in contact with it and keep others away until help arrives.

Haywood EMC

To report or inquire about power outages, call 1-800-951-6088


As always, you can check to see what advisories, watches and warnings are in effect for Macon County by visiting http://is.gd/MACONWARN


MACON CALENDAR

If you have an event you wish to be added to this calendar, please send the information, along with a flyer in pdf format or a high quality photo, to editor@maconmedia.com
There is no charge for civic, educational or non profit groups.


BENEFIT 4 BRITTANY & DIANE

Saturday, March 25 at 5 PM - 9 PM
at Cartoogechaye Elementary School

Learn more about it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1271875169584301/





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Published at 3:52 am on March 14, 2017

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