2026 Foothills thread

[WNC_Fort]

Been a fun morning watching it snow. I’ve never had big flakes but just a heavy stream of tiny flakes.

[calculus1]

The snow is so light and fluffy, it falls through the board cracks on the deck. Wow.

[wncsnow]

[BooneWX]

From about an hour ago. Just beautiful. Falling lightly since but heavier banding showing up on radar.


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[ncjoaquin]

Just now, BooneWX said:

From about an hour ago. Just beautiful. Falling lightly since but heavier banding showing up on radar.


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That's a great picture!

[WNC_Fort]

Haha now I’m BIG flakes and it’s coming down at a good clip. My footprints are filling back in already. Approaching 5”. Think I overperformed a big from 4-6am

[wncsnow]

2 minutes ago, WNC_Fort said:

Haha now I’m BIG flakes and it’s coming down at a good clip. My footprints are filling back in already. Approaching 5”. Think I overperformed a big from 4-6am

Its super light here. Hopefully we can squeeze out another inch or 2.

[calculus1]

Snow is much smaller and lighter right now. Hoping it picks back up later this morning.

[Northern Foothills Snowman]

46 minutes ago, BooneWX said:

I think we’ll be fine. You can see the forcing to our south filling everything in. Also be wary of the Catawba County radar hole. The same one that caused GSP to miss a deadly tornado years ago.

Hope that heavy band in Charlotte can make it up our way. WOW

[BooneWX]

5 minutes ago, calculus1 said:

Snow is much smaller and lighter right now. Hoping it picks back up later this morning.

Radar slowly improving. Fingers crossed. More of a south easterly fetch present. 

[WNC_Fort]

Hope you all get what I am right now. Huge flakes. Can barely see across the road. It’s been way too long

[strongwxnc]

Radar slowly improving. Fingers crossed. More of a south easterly fetch present. 

It’s just to my east south right now. Hoping it moves in.


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[BooneWX]

Everyone pause, look at radar and take a moment to salute and appreciate meso lows and lee enhancement 

[WiseWeather]

What a beautiful morning.



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[SnowDawg]

Little convective band just rolled in here and it is absolutely dumping. Quarter size flakes and reduced visibility even with little to no wind.

[wncsnow]

2 minutes ago, BooneWX said:

Everyone pause, look at radar and take a moment to salute and appreciate meso lows and lee enhancement 

Its picked back up a little here. I'm just north of the best rates 

[NEGa]

3 minutes ago, SnowDawg said:

Little convective band just rolled in here and it is absolutely dumping. Quarter size flakes and reduced visibility even with little to no wind.

No wind here either at the moment - it is snowing at a really good clip. It’s awesome when those bands move through!

[Ernest T Bass]

Just checked, 2" of powder on top of existing ice.  Still not exactly ripping, but really pretty.  Seems to be picking up a bit too.

[BooneWX]

I would imagine South Mtn State Park is getting crushed right now. 

[WNC_Fort]

I’m in southern Old Fort/McDowell in the crooked creek area. Seems like we’ve just been staying under a heavy band from the low for a bit over an hour now. 

[wncsnow]

Little over 4 now. Flake size has increased 

[lilj4425]

[BooneWX]

Really unimpressive rates despite radar. Barely over two inches. Starting to get a bit nervous! 

[BooneWX]

Meso discussion out!!! Expecting increasingly heavy rates this afternoon


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[strongwxnc]

Meso discussion out!!! Expecting increasingly heavy rates this afternoon


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Mesoscale Discussion 0067
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0942 AM CST Sat Jan 31 2026

Areas affected...Piedmont of Upstate South Carolina into North Carolina

Concerning...Heavy snow

Valid 311542Z - 311945Z

SUMMARY...Heavy hourly snow rates around or in excess of 1 inch per hour may become increasingly common across the Carolina Piedmont vicinity through 1-4 PM EST.

DISCUSSION...To this point, it appears that peak hourly snow rates within an area of snow spreading across and to the lee of the southern Appalachians have remained relatively modest. Precipitable water across the Piedmont is generally around or below .35 inches, with lower values to the west/northwest. Saturating temperature profiles are well below freezing, but temperatures conducive to dendritic ice crystal growth appear initially centered around 700 mb, somewhat low and perhaps not most optimal for larger dendritic ice crystal growth and aggregation.

However, latest model output suggests that the deep, digging upstream short wave trough/elongated cyclonic circulation will gradually take on a more neutral orientation while pivoting across and southwest of the southern Appalachians through 18-21Z. Increasingly difluent and divergent mid/upper flow to the northeast of this feature is forecast to contribute to a period of strengthening upward vertical motion across the Carolina Piedmont. This may be enhanced by a band of strengthening frontogenetic forcing in the 800-700 mb layer, where forecast soundings indicate cooling profiles will contribute to further lowering, but deepening, of the dendritic growth zone. As this occurs, high resolution model output, among other guidance, suggests increasing potential for hourly snow rates in excess of 1 inch per hour, which may persist, at least on an off, through much of the afternoon.


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[WiseWeather]

Somewhere between 3.5-4 in Lenoir right now.


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[strongwxnc]

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[calculus1]

Been out walking for the past 45 minutes or so with the fam. Rates have been moderate, occasionally picking up in intensity. I am almost at three inches total, but hoping for an uptick this afternoon.

[calculus1]

20 degrees and blowing snow makes for a chilly walk, but I love it!

 

[calculus1]

Much larger flakes and intensity right now. Really coming down well. 3 inches total.