Chill and snow will bring a ‘raw, awful day’ to the Triangle, but no buildup
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Maps Under the Microscope
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A week of shorts-and-sandals sunshine will end drastically Monday as the Triangle likely wakes to snowfall.
The ground remains warm after a week of temperatures in the 70s, so the flakes will probably melt without any buildup.
But the transition to freezing temperatures after a balmy stretch will shock the Triangle on the day most holiday vacations end.
“It’s going to be a raw, awful day,” said ABC-11 meteorologist Steve Stewart. “I think winter is fed up.”
Orange County public schools announced plans to close schools Monday because of the weather.
Flooding risk
The Raleigh area had already seen about an inch of rain as of midday Sunday, and another 2 to 3 inches was expected to accumulate as rainfall intensifies overnight Sunday into Monday.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch from midnight through Monday morning for all Triangle counties.
“That’s the bigger story in the Raleigh area,” said Barrett Smith, meteorologist with the weather service.
There was a potential for flash flooding around midnight, Smith said.
South and east of the Triangle, including around Fayetteville, there was a chance for severe weather including isolated tornadoes.
Snow in forecast
Raleigh saw record-high temperatures over the weekend, but around 7 a.m., overnight rainfall is expected to transition into snow.
Near the Virginia border, Stewart said, snow could accumulate an inch or two.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for Granville and Person counties.
But ground freezes more slowly than the air, so the Triangle’s flakes will quickly disappear.
The snowfall could last until noon, and the temperature will fall into the 30s, Stewart said.
Winds out of the north will make the air feel even colder with wind chills dipping into the 20s.
Stewart noted he has never predicted snowfall so soon after a 79-degree day.
It will be a cold, wet welcome to January.
“This is going to be a shock to the system,” he said. “It’s just going to take people by surprise.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2022 at 11:59 AM.