Moisture increasing ahead of an approaching cold front will result in steadily increasing rain chances through Friday. Brief drying and very warm conditions are expected behind the departing front on Saturday, but with coastal low pressure along the stalling front likely bringing another round of rain Saturday night. Drier high pressure will return for the early and middle part of next week.
News Highlights
Macon County Public Health released a new schedule for their COVID-19 response. Currently, they are vaccinating people in Phase 1a.
• Three more COVID-19 Deaths in Macon County; Outbreak at Eckerd Living Center [LINK]
• North Carolina and Macon County Currently in Phase 1A of COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out [LINK]
• NC Coronavirus Taskforce Briefing for 12-30-2020 (includes Vaccination Schedule by Groups) [LINK]
• An important message from Franklin High School regarding Spring Semester changes [LINK]
• Macon County Board of Education Special Called Meeting Information [LINK]
• Community mourns the passing of beloved, veteran fire chief in North Carolina (Fox Carolina) [LINK]
• Gov. Cooper issued an Executive Order extending North Carolina’s evictions moratorium through January 31, 2021. [LINK]
---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---
DAY SPONSOR
Macon Media is being underwritten today by Franklin Health and Fitness, home of #ResultsForEveryone. Try FHF with a FREE 3-Day Guest Pass! To claim your pass, and to learn more about Franklin Health and Fitness, visit franklinhealthandfitness.com.
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.
--- END SPONSOR SEGMENT---
General forecast through Saturday night
Franklin area
Today
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1pm. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Calm winds. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
New Year's Eve
Showers, mainly after 10pm. Patchy fog after 11pm. Lows around 50. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs near 60. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Friday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2am, then a slight chance of showers between 2am and 4am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph shifting to come out of the southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with high in the mid-60s.
Saturday Night
A chance of showers between 8pm and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Highlands area
Today
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 9am. Areas of fog before noon, then patchy fog after 4pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the lower 50s. Winds out of thet southwest 5 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday Night
Showers, mainly after 10pm. Widespread fog, mainly after midnight. Lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the mid-50s. Winds out of the southeast 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Friday Night
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph shifting to come out of the southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday
Partly sunny, witha highs in the mid-50s.
Saturday Night
A chance of showers between 8pm and 3am. Partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-30s. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Otto area
Today
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 10am. Patchy fog could linger until noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Light winds out of the southwest. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday Night
Showers, mainly after 10pm. Patchy fog after 9pm. Lows around 50. Calm winds increasing to come out of the southeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs near 60. WInds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Friday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph shifting to come out of the southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 60s.
Saturday Night
A chance of showers between 8pm and 3am. Partly cloudy, with lows around 40. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Nantahala area
Today
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog could last until noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Light winds out of the southwest. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday Night
Showers, mainly after 11pm. Patchy fog after 11pm. Lows around 50. Calm winds increasing to come out of the southeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers. Patchy fog early. Highs near 60. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
Friday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 1am, then a slight chance of showers between 1am and 4am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-uper 40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 109 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with highs in the upper 50s.
Saturday Night
A chance of showers between 8pm and 4am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
HAZARDS
Heavy rainfall is possible across the region New Year's Eve and Friday. Localized flooding of streams and main stem rivers, as well as low-lying and poor drainage areas, is possible.
COVID-19 Briefing
Virologists Amy Rosenfeld and Vincent Racaniello answer your COVID-19 questions on this livestream from 12/30/20 (editor's note: Amy is a scientist who does not suffer fools gladly and has no social filter. LOL)
Cases
1534 Detected
(+70 from Tuesday and +203 from last Wednesday and +578 in four weeks)
368 Active
(+15 from Tuesday and +113 from last Wednesday and +294 in four weeks)
1154 Recovered
(+52 from Tuesday and +87 from last Wednesday and +281 in four weeks)
12 Deaths
(+3 from Tuesday and +3 from last Wednesday and +3 in four weeks)
Testing
7829 by MCPH
(+100 from Tuesday and +100 from last Wednesday and +776 in four weeks)
5080 by Others
(+166 from Tuesday and +215 from last Wednesday and +1104 in four weeks)
12909 total
(+266 from Tuesday and +315 from last Wednesday and +1880 in four weeks)
90 tests pending results
(+10 from Tuesday and +10 from last Wednesday and -618 in four weeks)
Air Quality
Air quality is in the extreme upper range of green today for all elevations.
Pollen
Pollen levels are expected to be low (0.3 out of 12) with mixed traces of sources being detectable. Tomorrow is expected to be about the same(0.3 out of 12).
Weather Extremes for Macon County for December 31st
Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin in 1951
lowest Temperature 2°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1983
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.34 inches in Highlands in 2012
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 3.0 inches in Franklin in 1963
Weather Extremes for Macon County for the Month of December
Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin in 1951
lowest Temperature -12°F in Highlands in 1917
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 6.00 inches in Highlands in 1901 Greatest One-Day Snowfall 12.0 inches in Franklin in 1876
TROPICAL WEATHER
(The North Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1st to Nov 30th)
The North Atlantic Hurricane Season is over for the year. If anything does develop, the information will be posted in this section of the weather briefing.
CROWDFUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider in the morning increasing to come out of the a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.
Or, if you prefer Pay Pal, try PayPal.me/MaconMedia
Published at 4:205am on Thursday, December 31, 2020
Posts
