Live updates: Nor’easter slams Carolinas with snow, vicious winds as storm intensifies to ‘bomb’ out
A powerful coastal storm is rapidly intensifying into a dangerous bomb cyclone off the East Coast with hurricane-force gusts and heavy, wind-driven snow.
Winter Storm Warnings stretch from Virginia to Georgia as a powerful bomb cyclone blasts millions across the Southeast.
Right now, a nor'easter is developing off America's East Coast and will rapidly intensify into a powerful bomb cyclone this weekend. As governors in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia declare states of emergency, the storm's core will lash the Carolinas with hurricane-force gusts and heavy snow. State leaders across the Southeast are telling people to stay home until conditions improve.
Winter weather reports showing 6.8" of snow recorded in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Winter weather reports showing 1.2" of snow recorded so far in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A historic arctic blast is currently gripping the eastern United States, with a lobe of the polar vortex pushing dangerously cold temperatures as far south as Florida. More than 185 million Americans are waking up under some type of cold weather alert.
Dangerously low wind chills, expected to dip between -5°F and -10°F across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, have prompted widespread Extreme Cold Warnings and Cold Weather Advisories through the weekend. This record-setting "deep freeze" is not only challenging century-old daily lows in cities like Pittsburgh and Miami but also threatens to keep major metros like New York, Washington, and Philadelphia below freezing for over a week—one of the longest such stretches in decades.
Radar image showing snow increasing in intensity and coverage across eastern North Carolina.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the snow increasing across eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks right now. Radar shows the snow picking up in coverage and intensity this morning as the nor'easter develops.
Latest snow forecast from FOX Weather showing up to a foot of snow falling across the Carolinas.
The FOX Forecast Center says this weekend's nor'easter remains on track to dump heavy snow across the Carolinas. Up to a foot of snow could fall in portions of the Southeast as a powerful nor'easter bombs out along the East Coast of the U.S.
One notable change this morning: a drop in snow amounts across central North Carolina. Forecasters say a "dry slot" will reduce the snow in this part of the Carolinas. Raleigh, North Carolina may end up with just a few inches of snow, while places to the west and east pick up significantly more.
NASA has decided to delay the launch of Artemis II as dangerously cold air invades the Sunshine State. According to the agency's website, NASA is targeting Monday, February 2, as the tanking day for the upcoming Artemis II wet dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This pushes the first potential opportunity to launch to no earlier than Sunday, February 8.
Managers have assessed hardware capabilities against the projected forecast given the rare arctic outbreak affecting the state and decided to change the timeline.
NASA says a launch date will be set pending the outcome of the dress rehearsal. Originally, Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7 were considered viable opportunities for launch.
Right now, the Artemis II crew remains in quarantine in Houston and NASA says managers are assessing the timeline for crew arrival.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says it is ready to tackle whatever Mother Nature brings this weekend. In a post on X, it reminded residents that plows operate on scheduled, priority-based routes.
North Carolina Department of Transportation plows are ready for this weekend's nor'easter.
They're also reminding North Carolinians that if sustained wind speeds reach 35 mph or greater, their plows cannot operate. The FOX Forecast Center says wind speeds up to 70 mph are expected in eastern North Carolina late Saturday into Sunday, which could suspend plowing efforts.
While this weekend's nor'easter is poised to bring widespread heavy snow to the Southeast, a specific meteorological phenomenon known as a dry slot could leave Raleigh and central North Carolina with significantly lower totals than neighboring regions.
A dry slot is a region of clear, dry air that is pulled into a strengthening low-pressure system from the mid-to-upper levels of the atmosphere. In a nor'easter, this dry air typically originates from the southwest and wraps around the southern and eastern sides of the storm's center.
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh Model (HRRR) showing a dry slot over North Carolina on Saturday. (Source: WeatherBELL)
When this dry air infiltrates the system, it acts like a wedge, evaporating moisture before it can reach the ground as snow. If the dry slot positions itself directly over the Triangle, it would essentially shut off the snow engine, "busting" the snow original snow forecast for this area.
The only factor that could save Raleigh's snow totals is if the upper-level trough remains sharp enough to force the moisture to wrap further inland, filling in the dry slot. However, as of Saturday morning, the trend in high-resolution modeling favors the dry air intrusion as the storm moves into its most intense phase.
Wind speeds are steadily increasing across the Carolinas as the nor'easter intensifies off the coast.
The FOX Forecast Center says the nor'easter has begun its rapid intensification off the Southeast coast. Wind speeds are steadily increasing across North and South Carolina this morning. Right now, sustained winds range from 10-25 mph along the coast with gusts nearing 40 mph.
Radar image showing light snow falling around Greenville, South Carolina.
Light snow is falling across central and western South Carolina right now. That snow is starting to add up and will make roads slick as the morning progresses.
Temperatures are in the 10s and single digits across the Northeast and Great Lakes.
Millions of Americans are waking up to life-threatening cold air this morning. Air temperatures are in the single digits and teens across the Northeast and Great Lakes, while wind chills are near 0°F. Exposure to this extreme cold can result in hypothermia and frostbite within 30 minutes.
High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are in effect along the coast from Delaware to North Carolina.
Forecasters say this weekend's nor'easter will pack a punch when it comes to wind. The storm system responsible for all the snow in the Southeast will rapidly intensify over the Atlantic Ocean in the hours ahead. This rapid strengthening will produce powerful winds, particularly at the coast. High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are up for coastal Virginia and North Carolina. Occasional wind gusts to 70 mph are expected, but the FOX Forecast Center says hurricane-force wind gusts to 75 mph are likely, too.
FlightAware reports more than 550 flights have been disrupted at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
For the second weekend in a row, U.S. airlines are being forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to wintry weather. This weekend's nor'easter will dump heavy snow on the Carolinas and as far south as Atlanta, home to one of the world's busiest airports. Data from FlightAware shows more than 570 flights have been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport so far today. In total, more than 8,500 U.S. flights have been disrupted (delayed or canceled) since Friday.
Latest radar image showing light snow starting to develop across North Carolina.
Radar reveals snow starting to break out across North Carolina. Most of this is light snow, but the intensity will pick up through the morning as the nor'easter gets going off the coast.
You can go back and see how the forecast has evolved with live updates from Friday's coverage.
Click here to see the minute-by-minute updates from FOX Weather.
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