This is a developing story and will be updated.
Friday January 19
The National Weather Service extended a winter storm advisory for Avery, Madison, Yancey,Mitchell, Swain, Haywood and Graham counties until 7 a.m. Saturday morning, with forecasts calling for snow accumulations of up to five inches through tonight.
Temperatures are falling across the region as another Arctic air mass settles in. Overnight lows are expected to drop back into the teens and single digits, with wind chill values below zero, according to the NWS.
Thursday January 18
A winter weather advisory is in effect for counties in the BPR listening area beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday.
The National Weather Service reported Avery, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Swain, Haywood and Graham counties could see a mix of sleet and snow, with an increased chance of snowfall on Friday. Icy roads are a concern for all.
Tuesday January 16
Tuesday's weather headlines are dominated by the arrival of a frigid blast of arctic air in the mountains, with wind chill taking center stage.
The National Weather Service issued a wind chill advisory, effective from 2 p.m. this afternoon for Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, and Haywood Counties, and starting at 6 p.m. forBuncombe and the wider BPR listening area.
The NWS said temperatures will bottom out in the single digits across the mountains Wednesday morning with wind chills dropping below -5 degrees by early morning.
Forecasters caution the combination of wet roads from earlier precipitation and freezing temperatures will likely produce slippery road conditions through tomorrow morning. Black ice will also be possible where any refreezing occurs.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains closed due to hazardous conditions, according to a press release from the Park Service.
Snowfall totals reported by the NWS ranged from more than a foot in Wolf Laurel (Yancey County) to an inch in Hot Springs (Madison County).
Monday January 15
Snow flurries and ice are expected to blanket Western North Carolina on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The National Weather Service reported a chance of snow before noon in Asheville, turning to a mix of rain and snow as the day progresses.
Madison, Yancey, Haywood, Macon, Cherokee, Clay and parts of Jackson counties are under a winter weather advisory through Tuesday morning. The forecast calls for 1 to 4 inches of snow, with higher elevations experiencing up to 8 inches. According to the NWS, "Spotty freezing rain at times could produce a light glaze of ice as well."
A winter storm warning is in effect for Avery, Graham and Swain counties until 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan 16. The latest NWS briefing said snow accumulations from 3-6 inches are possible with more in higher elevations, along with light icing from patchy freezing rain.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed due to hazardous conditions, according to a press release from the Park Service.
"Rangers and road crews will assess conditions and will determine when roads are safe to open," the press release said.