Outlook
A strong cold front sweeps across the area from the west this afternoon and evening with heavy rainfall and strong to severe thunderstorms possible. The cold front will push east of the area tonight. Behind the front, high pressure will usher in much cooler and drier conditions, with temperatures falling below freezing across the mountains Friday night. Cool and dry conditions will persist through the weekend and into early next week.
Bidwell Street Trick-or-Treating is Rain or Shine
Please avoid driving the Bidwell Street area later this afternoon and early evening as the annual trick-or-treating is still on no matter the weather conditions.
SAFE DRIVING TIPS FOR RAINY CONDITIONS
Due to the number of accidents there were in Macon County yesterday, here is a refresher course about driving safely in the rain and other seasonal conditions (especially since we may be having icy conditions starting tomorrow):
Drive a clean car in good condition
When visibility is limited by wet weather, it’s important that your car itself doesn’t impede your sight. Once a month, clean the outsides and insides of windshields and windows, and check your windshield wiper blades for wear. Check the level of your washer fluid once a week.
Do a quick check of headlights, taillights, turn signals and tire treads before driving the car for the first time each day.
Know the roads
Roads are built to withstand different weather conditions in different parts of the country, so if you’re new to an area, use extra caution during or after a storm. In many southern states, the asphalt isn’t as compressed as it is in other parts of the country. This means it can rain and the road can look totally dry, but it’s not. You’ll squeegee up the water that’s caught in the road aggregate, and now your tires are wet and slick and you don’t even know it.
Take a moment to consider your route, too. If it takes you through low-lying bridge underpasses or past ditches prone to flooding, you might consider taking an alternate route or being more careful along your commute, or putting off the trip for a little while.
Switch on lights, not brights
Though many newer cars come with automatic running lights, turn on the actual headlights when using windshield wipers so your taillights come on as well. The idea behind having headlights is so other people can see you. When you turn your headlights on and your back lights come on, you identify all four corners of the vehicle.”
You don’t, however, need to flip on your brights; the brighter light will just reflect off wet surfaces, bouncing back into your eyes and irritating other drivers.
Slow down!
Leave at least five seconds of following distance between your own car and the one in front, and don’t feel pressure to drive the posted speed limit. The speed [listed] on the side of the highway is the maximum speed for perfect weather and perfect road conditions, so if the road is wet, it could be too fast for existing conditions. If other people don’t like it, they can pass you.
And remember: never use cruise control on wet roads. If you hydroplane under cruise control, the automatic acceleration can cause you to lose control of your vehicle when your tires regain traction.
Don’t get in too deep
If water is covering the markings on the road, it’s too deep to drive on. You can lose control with as little as an inch of water on the road. Add wet leaves to the mix, and it's even less. And even if you manage to stay in control, a larger vehicle could push some of that water underneath your car, causing your engine to stall.
Steer where you want to go
If you’re going too fast and end up hydroplaning, turn the wheel in the direction you want to go—and don’t be afraid if you don’t steer out of the skid on the first try. It may take three to five adjustments to get back on course (and a little while longer for your heart to stop pounding).
Hold off on unnecessary trips
It’s one thing if you need to get home to your children or you’re already on the road, but otherwise, ask yourself if you’ve driven in this kind of weather before and if you’re ready to handle it right now. When bad weather is in the forecast, “a lot of people feel they have to go to the store,” says Solomon. But just as you would stay off the roads in heavy snow, it’s OK to stay home in heavy rain. If you have a small business in a flood-prone area and there’s lots of precipitation on the way, try to make arrangements for employees to work from home so they don’t have to worry about making the commute on potentially flooded roads.
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State Legislature
The North Carolina General Assembly is in a wait-and-see mode on final approval of the budget. Details on the proceedings are posted in a table below:
| 8:30 AM | Senate: Appropriations/Base Budget -- UPDATED | 643 LOB |
| 9:30 AM | Senate: Session Convenes | Senate |
| 10:00 AM | House: Session Convenes | House |
THREE DAY GFS FORECAST
This animated image shows a forecast of precipitation, air pressure and thickness level (cold-air damming) for three days in six-hour increments.
Green, Yellow, and Red indicate rain. Orange and Purple Indicate Freezing Rain or other freezing precipitation. Blue indicates snow.
WEATHER SPONSOR
Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.
Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/
All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.
Weather Hazards
Hazardous weather over the next few days is expected. There is a Flood Watch, Flood Advisory, and a Freeze Warning in effect for all or portions of Macon County today, tonight and tomorrow. More information is posted below.
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1132 PM EDT Wed Oct 30 2019
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the mountains of northeast Georgia, the southern mountains of western North Carolina, and the Upstate South Carolina mountains.
Flood Watch.
Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will begin to develop from the south during the early morning hours. These storms may bring gusty winds, occasional cloud-to-ground lightning, and locally very heavy rainfall to the area.
Today through Tuesday.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards.
Flood Watch.
Thunderstorms are expected to develop along and ahead of a cold front crossing the region from the west Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening. These thunderstorms may become strong. Frequent loud-to-ground lightning, gusty winds, and torrential downpours can be expected with any of these thunderstorms. A few of the thunderstorms may produce damaging wind gusts, and an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.
Freezing temperatures may return to the mountains Thursday night, with frost conditions possibly impacting much of the area over the weekend.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotters are requested to forward any reports of large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, or flash flooding to our office.
*******************
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1237 AM EDT Thu Oct 31 2019
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a
* Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for...
Northern Habersham County in northeastern Georgia...
Rabun County in northeastern Georgia...
Southeastern Macon County in western North Carolina...
Southwestern Transylvania County in western North Carolina...
Southeastern Jackson County in western North Carolina...
West central Pickens County in Upstate South Carolina...
Northern Oconee County in Upstate South Carolina...
* Until 630 AM EDT Thursday.
* At 1224 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain which may cause nuisance flooding of low-lying areas in the advisory area. Over the past 6 hours or since 630pm, between 1.5 to 2.5 inches has occurred within the Advisory area, with as much as 4 inches over the past 12 hours.
* Nuisance flooding is defined as flooding of common low-lying areas including parks, greenways, farmland, boat-access ramps and canoe portages, and minor flooding of campgrounds, low-water crossings, and secondary roads.
* Georgia Power is releasing water at Mathis Dam and Tallulah Falls Dam causing elevated flows along the Tallulah River. Flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to the Tallulah River is likely overnight as releases continue. Additional releases may prompt additional flooding and possibly closure of flood-prone roadways including Shady Lane near the intersection of Old US 441, especially later this morning as another line of heavy rain approaches the area.
* Some locations that may experience nuisance flooding include...
Clayton, Highlands, Mountain City, Tiger, Dillard, Sky Valley, Cashiers, Tallulah Falls, Salem and Jocassee Gorges.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.
Only when it is safe to do so, please report floodwaters or landslides flowing over roads or threatening property to the National Weather Service by calling toll-free, 1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, by posting on our Facebook page, or via Twitter using hashtag NWSGSP. Your message should describe the event and the specific location where it occurred, including roadways, nearby cross streets, stream names, and other landmarks.
**************
Freeze Warning
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
406 AM EDT Thu Oct 31 2019
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures will dip into the upper 20s to lower 30s.
* WHERE...The central and southern mountains of western North Carolina, as well as the northeast Georgia mountains.
* WHEN...From 8 PM this evening to 10 AM EDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation, and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The freezing temperatures could create slippery surfaces and roadways where moisture lingers from the
earlier rainfall.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
**Note** A Tropical Weather Outlook section has been added to the daily weather briefing for the Atlantic Hurricane Season, and since those tend to run long when there is activity, that section has been added between the daily forecasts for the four regions of the county and the almanac section so people can get to their daily forecasts with minimal interference.
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WEATHER FORECAST MAPS
Forecast maps for 7 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
[click on any image in this article to enlarge]
FRANKLIN AREA FORECAST
Today
Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog before 2pm. Highs near 70. Winds out of the south around 10 mph in the moring shifting to come out of the southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
Halloween Night
Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 30. Winds out of the northwest 5 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday
Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high in the upper 50s. Calm winds.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 60.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
OTTO AREA FORECAST
Today
Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog before 3pm. Highs near 70. Winds out of the south around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three-quarters and one inch possible.
Halloween Night
Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 30. Winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday
Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with high in the mid-to-upper 50s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high in the upper 50s.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
HIGHLANDS PLATEAU FORECAST
Today
Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Widespread fog, mainly before 11am. Temperature falling to around 50 by 5pm. Breezy, with winds out of the south 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Halloween Night
Rain showers likely, possibly mixing with snow after 10pm, then gradually ending. The rain could be heavy at times. Patchy fog before 7pm. Otherwise, cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 30. Winds out of the northwest 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 20 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Friday
Sunny, with highs in the mid-to-upper 40s. Winds out of the north 5 to 15 mph decreasin to become light and variable by midmorning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 50.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
NANTAHALA AREA FORECAST
Halloween Day
Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog. Temperature rising to near 65 by 11am, then falling to around 50 during the remainder of the day. Winds out of the southwest 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Halloween Night
Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Patchy fog before 8pm. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 20s. WInds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday
Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. Calm winds increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph by noon.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 55.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with lows in the upper 20s.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Thu Oct 31 2019
For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Subtropical Storm Rebekah located in the north Atlantic about 600 miles west of the Azores.
Tropical storm formation is not expected during the next 5 days.
Weather Extremes for Macon County for the month of October
Data available from 1872 to 2018
Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on 10-05-1954
Lowest Temperature 12°F in Highlands on 10-30-1910
Greatest Rainfall 9.91 inches in Highlands on 10-04-1964
Greatest Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands on 10-20-1913
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of October
Data available from 1870 to 2018
Highest Temperature 102°F Albemarle, Stanly County 10-06-1954
Lowest Temperature 8°F Banner Elk, Avery County 10-21-1952
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 14.00 in Aberdeen, Moore County 10-16-1913
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 11.0 inches on Mount Mitchell, Yancey County on 10-25-1990
Monthly Averages
Warmest Weather Station 66.5°F Hatteras, Dare County
Coldest Weather Station 46.5°F Grandfather Mountain, Avery County
Wettest Weather Station 6.29 in Lake Toxaway, Transylvania County
Driest Weather Station 2.15 in Hot Springs, Madison County
Published at 5:00am on October 31, 2019
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