Afternoon snow update

Well, the sun was shining this afternoon and it was vaguely warm. However, I can see some snowy looking clouds on the horizon. WRAL has the latest on the possible winter weather -



"The Triangle could take the brunt of a snowstorm pressing toward the Carolinas, the National Weather Service forecast indicates.

The heaviest band of snow is forecast along the U.S. Highway 1 corridor, from Southern Pines to Raleigh and east to Rocky Mount and Nashville. Accumulation to the south and east of the Triangle could reach 6 inches.

...

Whatever wintry precipitation falls is likely to stick around for a while – particularly on roads – because North Carolina won't see a significant warm-up until the latter part of the week.

The winter storm predicted for Jan. 19-20 comes during an auspicious – or infamous – time for snow in the Triangle.

Four years ago to the day, between 0.5 and 2 inches fell on central North Carolina, catching everyone by surprise. Roads clogged up with workers and students going home early, clogging roads at the same time they turned icy and making some commutes last more than eight hours. About 3,000 Wake County students were stranded at schools overnight.

Five years earlier, on Jan. 25, 2000, the region got its heaviest snowfall ever, 4 inches shy of 2 feet."

Ah, I remember both storms well. The 2005 storm caught me at work and I had to crawl out to the RDU airport to pick up Paul late that afternoon. It took us several hours to get home that night taking a jammed I-540 to Six Forks Road (Falls of Neuse & Capital Blvd north were completely shut down because of the hills near the Neuse River bridges). I know that we wouldn't have made it without the all-wheel-drive Subaru. She was only a few weeks old and she proved her worth that night! W hile many other cars were ditched on slick hilly roads, we made it home! The 2000 storm happened while I was away for college. Asheville saw about 4 inches (fun) but my parents were completely homebound in Raleigh. During that time they got some crazy cabin fever and thought it would be grand to call and tell me crazy things. I shall leave such crazy things unsaid.

Here's hoping for some fluffy white stuff! The pantry, fridge & freezer are stocked!