News

Winter storm expected to bring sleet and freezing rain

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 14, 2018

A winter storm bringing heavy rain, possible flooding, freezing rain and sleet is forecast tonight tonight and early Thursday. Higher elevations could see up to an inch of sleet and quarter inch of ice, raising the risk of treacherous roads and power outages.

With a low overnight of 31-32 degrees, the precipitation “could certainly be an accumulation of ice on trees and powerlines,” said Doug Outlaw of the National Weather Service. “Not as much on the roads. The main risk would be if there’s enough coating on the limbs any driving around in it could experience a limb crashing onto their car. We don’t expect a lot of problems with the roads, mainly bridge and overpasses. … The risk is even greater to the northeast up toward Marion and Wilson Creek.”
Chance of rain is 100 percent tonight with up to three-tenths inch of ice accumulating and sleet possible. Heavy rain is coming, too, with Henderson County getting about 1.8 inches of rain.
“So it’s just coincidental that this heavy rain event and cold air hit at the same time,” Outlaw said. “If the rain’s heavy, then not all of it is going to freeze but enough of it could freeze to cause some serious problems.”

Henderson County schools and BRCC had not yet made a call

"Above 2,500 feet, total sleet accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of up to a quarter of an inch expected," the NWS said in a winter storm advisory. "Below 2,500 feet, total sleet accumulations of up to one quarter inch and ice accumulations of around two tenths of an inch expected."

We won’t be in the clear until a warmup on Friday.
“The high Thursday is only going to be about 39 degrees and low temperature Thursday night will be about 28 so any moisture left on the road could freeze,” Outlaw said.
Things improve markedly after that. The high should be around 50 on Friday and 57 or 58 on Saturday.