For the winter weather fans out there, this weekend's two rounds of wintry precipitation will probably go down as something of a disappointment, but on the other hand given the limited moisture, weak and ill-defined nature of the disturbances crossing the region, and the generally unfavorable wind fields across the eastern U.S., we could have easily ended up with nothing more than isolated sprinkles and flurries throughout the entire event. Instead, while coverage and intensity was, as expected, uneven and very modest, many of us at least experienced some periods of snow and sleet, and it was enough to coat the ground and some elevated objects, especially across the northeastern half or so of the coverage area. We forecast snow amounts in the trace to one half inch range, and actual amounts have run generally within those limits, with a trace in many locations and reports of one half inch on the ground around Oxford and Roxboro, although a few spots near the Virginia border (northwest Person County, Manson in Warren County, and near the I-85 intersection with the state line) turned in reports of near one inch accumulations.
As so often happens given our "borderline" location and geographical influences, the events both involved a number of variations and mixtures of precipitation type, with sleet and snow also occasionally joined by graupel and patches of rain, especially toward the south. While the atmosphere will likely throw several more patches of enhanced moisture and weak fast-moving disturbances in our general direction over the next two or three days, mainly for the southernhalf or so of our area, it appears gradual warming of the lower atmosphere will leave us with principally liquid precipitation, in small quantities, for those events. There is some indication now of another surge of very cold air toward next weekend, but whether this will coincide with any significant precipitation remains, as they say, "up in the air" for now. Meanwhile, you can view a selection of photos that viewers sent in from the past two rounds of slightly more active weather at our weblog photo page.
