GSP AFD
Emphasis on 40knot SE Winds at 850mb providing moisture transport and warm nose.
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/ AS OF 350 AM WEDNESDAY: ABOVE NORMAL CONFIDENCE EXISTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM ACROSS AT LEAST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS WEEKEND AND POSSIBLY LINGERING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS IS DUE TO UNUSUALLY GOOD CONSISTENCY BETWEEN MODELS AND FROM RUN TO RUN REALLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW DESPITE THE STORM SYSTEM NOW PUSHING INTO THE SOUTHWEST U.S. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY FOR UNUSUALLY SIGNIFICANT STORMS. THIS STORM MAY FALL IN THE UNUSUAL SIGNIFICANT CATEGORY, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS AS IT SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS FOR A HIGH IMPACT WINTER STORM. THIS BEING SAID, BELOW AVERAGE CONFIDENCE CONTINUES IN THE EXACT FORECAST DETAILS AND RELATED POTENTIAL IMPACTS AS RELATIVELY MINOR SHIFTS TO THE STORM TRACK OR STRENGTH CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WHERE AND HOW LONG WINTRY PRECIP SETS UP. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO NOSE INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES FRIDAY NIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT BEFORE WEDGING DOWN EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY, SUPPORTING COLDER AND DRIER LOW LEVELS, AHEAD OF THIS WEEKENDS STORM SYSTEM. THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO SLIDE ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO COASTLINE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY BEFORE TURNING THE CORNER NEAR THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COASTLINE BY LATE IN THE DAY SUNDAY. INCREASING MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WILL LIKELY ASSIST THE CAD IN LOCKING IN COLD TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40 OR 15-20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. INCREASING MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW ENHANCED BY ISENTROPIC LIFT UP AND OVER THE ESTABLISHED COLD DOME AT THE SURFACE WILL SUPPORT INCREASING PRECIP CHANGES FROM THE SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE DAY. SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MAY BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION OF THE STORM AS STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY 30 TO 40 KT 850 MB WINDS ORIGINATING FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO ENHANCE MOISTURE TRANSPORT. THIS FLOW IS ALSO PERPENDICULAR TO THE COLD DOME CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY A 1030+ MB HIGH TO THE NORTH AS WELL AS THE PERPENDICULAR TO THE MOUNTAINS WHICH WILL ENHANCE LIFT AND THEREFORE PRECIPITATION INTENSITY AND TOTALS ACROSS THE REGION. PRECIPITATION TYPES ACROSS THE REGION IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THIS STORM AS IT APPEARS AREAS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF I-85 WILL LIKELY SEE AT LEAST SOME WINTRY PRECIP TO THE MOUNTAINS WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE MOSTLY SNOW AND ICE. WARMER AIR ALOFT (WARM NOSE) MAY TRY TO WORK INTO THE REGION WITH THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY EVENING LEADING TO GREATER ICE/RAIN POTENTIAL AT LEAST BRIEFLY ACROSS THE REGION. THE DURATION OF PRECIPITATION TYPES WILL BE CRITICAL AS CURRENT LIQUID PRECIPITATION CONTINUES TO FALL IN THE 1- 2 INCH RANGE WITH UPLOPE AREAS POSSIBLY SEEING UP TO 3 INCHES. THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE IS THAT WERE ARE POTENTIALLY DEALING WITH A DANGEROUS STORM WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATION NOW LIKELY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS AND POSSIBLE ANYWHERE ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF I-85. EARLY ESTIMATES PLACE A POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND NC FOOTHILLS WITH ICE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLY IN EXCESS OF 1/2 OF AN INCH ACROSS NC FOOTHILLS/PIEDMONT, ESPECIALLY NORTH OF I-40. NOW IS THE TIME TO PUT YOUR WINTER WEATHER PLAN TOGETHER AND PREPARE FOR THIS POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT UPCOMING WINTER STORM. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY FAIRLY RAPIDLY OFF AND SLOW DOWN OR STALL OFF THE NC/VA COAST MONDAY GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW A REINFORCING SHORT WAVE DIVING INTO THE TROUGH. THIS MAY SUPPORT ENHANCEMENT OF PRECIPITATION ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE STORM EARLY NEXT WEEK, LEADING TO POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL WINTRY PRECIP ACROSS THE REGION.