Snow at the beach? North Carolina may finally get a taste of winter, forecasters say
Read about the chances for snow this week in central North Carolina here.
Wintry weather could finally come to Eastern North Carolina this season, forecasters say.
Rainfall is expected overnight Thursday, when temperatures could drop into the 30s, according to the National Weather Service’s Wilmington office.
The low temperatures expected into early Friday mean “roadways, especially bridges and overpasses, may become ice covered,” the weather service says.
Also overnight, forecasters say “rain will mix with and change to snow.”
It’s possible “little or no” snow will accumulate near Wilmington and other areas in the southeastern part of the state, the weather service says.
Parts of coastal South Carolina, including the Myrtle Beach area, also are at risk for snow, according to the National Weather Service.
“Don’t expect any significant accumulation outside of what would be indistinguishable from a heavy frost on grassy and elevated surfaces,” the service’s Wilmington office said.
Measurable snow of 1 to 2 inches has a higher chance of falling near the Eastern North Carolina cities of Greenville and Kinston, according to the National Weather Service. Snow could also accumulate in northeastern counties, forecasters say.
Near Wilmington, officials on Monday said the snow possibility depended on moisture and high and low pressure moving toward the area.
“Hopefully the trifecta comes together because this may be our only shot of seeing those elusive ice crystals with March right around the corner,” forecasters said Monday morning.
Wilmington saw its last measurable snowfall in early January 2018, National Weather Service data shows. As temperatures plunged to some of the lowest levels in decades, 3.8 inches of snow blanked the region.
This month, the area’s average temperature has reached 56 degrees, about 8 degrees higher than normal.
After a bout of overnight cold, Wilmington could reach a high of 42 degrees during the day Friday, forecasters say.
This story was originally published February 17, 2020 at 11:50 AM.
