RALEIGH — Time to make the hot chocolate and light the fireplace. Big, wet snowflakes have pushed rain out of the weather picture around the Triangle. What began as rain overnight began to include a few snowflakes early Monday morning, and by 9:30 a.m. snow had asserted itself and taken over.

In downtown Raleigh, the snow is sticking to shrubbery and grass, making for a pretty scene. It's an even prettier picture for all the people who have the day off due to the observance of Martin Luther King's birthday.

In an unusual twist, however, snow began in Southern Pines about 5:30 a.m., with big flakes sticking to lawns and shrubbery. Southern Pines is generally warmer than the Triangle.

By 9 a.m., snow also was falling in Charlotte, Asheville and Oxford with rain in most other reporting cities in the state.

The North Carolina mountains are under a winter storm warning and could get up to 6 inches of snow by later today.

Whatever falls today, the accumulation is not expected to last long. There will be clearing skies tonight, and Tuesday's high temperature will be between 45 and 50, with sunny skies forecast.