CALDWELL MOUNTAINS, NC (December 8, 2016)…Special Weather Statement from the NWS – Sprawling high pressure spilling southward from the northern plains states to the mid-Mississippi River Valley will push an arctic air mass into the southern Appalachians tonight. Windy conditions will persist, with northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph across the mountains and gusts as high as 40 to 45 mph – especially along the higher ridge tops. The combination of windy conditions and cold minimum temperatures in the teens will produce wind chill values of zero to minus 5 degrees during the early morning hours Friday. The higher ridges at elevations of 4000 to 6000 feet could see wind chill values in the minus 5 to minus 10 range.
Mountain temperatures may not recover above the freezing mark on Friday in the higher mountains, and even the warmer mountain valleys may only see maximum temperatures a few degrees above freezing. The winds will slowly diminish through the day to relieve the cold wind chill values. Even colder temperatures in the lower teens are expected Friday night.
