Get your bread now. Snow's coming.
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 12, 2010 1:46 PM
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Wayne County area for this afternoon through Saturday morning in advance of a storm that could cover the area with up to 3 inches of snow.
It is possible that the snowfall predictions are low and might have to be adjusted upward, said Scott Sharpe a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Raleigh office. Also, the Winter Storm Watch might have to be upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning later today, he said.
Also, the county remains under a Flood Warning. As of 4:15 a.m. today, the Neuse River was at 19.7 feet. The flood stage is 18 feet. Minor flooding is occurring in some areas including on Ferry Bridge Road, which was closed earlier this week. The level is expected to remain steady around 19.7 feet over the next several days.
The snowfall is expected to be lighter from the Goldsboro area north to the Wilson County line and heavier toward Sevens Springs, Mount Olive and the Duplin County line, Sharpe said.
Goldsboro and northern Wayne could see around 1 to 2 inches, while the southern parts could get 2 to 3 inches.
Sharpe said the snowfall should start by dusk or shortly thereafter.
"It looks like Round 2," said Luther Thompson, Department of Transporta-tion maintenance supervisor for the county. "It looks like another long weekend. This storm kind of snuck up on us."
Thompson said an earlier forecast Thursday indicating a possible dusting had prompted plans to spray salt brine on the bridges today.
He said crews would spray the bridges and concentrate on the four-lane highways before branching out onto the primary secondary roads.
Thompson said a crew would be called in this evening and on Saturday morning.
The storm system is expected to take a track usually far to the south, and as such, most of the precipitation will fall across southern portions of the state.
According to the National Weather Service's Raleigh office, the air mass across the central part of the state will be sufficiently cold and dry enough to support snow.
A light snow is expected to spread over the area during the evening with the heaviest snowfall overnight before tapering off Saturday morning.
The forecast for today calls for cloudy skies with a high near 42 and winds out of the north between 3 and 6 mph. Lows tonight will be around 28 with a north wind between 5 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent with snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
There is a a chance of snow before 10 a.m. Saturday followed by a chance for flurries before ending. The chance of precipitation is 30 percent with snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. It is expected to be cloudy through mid-morning followed by gradual clearing with a high near 40. The wind will be out of the north between 10 and 13 mph.
It should be mostly clear Saturday with a low temperature around 23 and a west wind around 8 mph.
Sunday should be mostly sunny with a high near 47 and a west wind between 7 and 10 mph. It expected to be mostly cloudy with a low around 31 Sunday night
There is 30 percent chance of rain Monday. The forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high near 45. Monday night's lows are expected to be around 27.