ROCKINGHAM — The National Weather Service has issued a pair of advisories for Richmond County and much of North Carolina ahead of the second consecutive weekend winter storm.
A winter storm watch will be in effect from 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30 until 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1.
The NWS forecast currently calls for around 5 inches of snow for Richmond County, with a minimum of 3 inches and a possible maximum of up to 15 inches. Meteorologists are also predicting wind gusts on Saturday around 25 mph.
It is expected to start snowing after 1 a.m. Saturday and continue for the next 24 hours.
According to the advisory, “strong winds and (the) weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages. Travel may become dangerous or even impossible with widespread closures and disruptions to infrastructure (are) possible.”
According to the N.C. Climate Office, the last time Richmond County received 6 inches or more of snow was in January 2011.
An extreme cold watch has also been issued for the area, with weekend highs near or below freezing and overnight lows predicted in the lower- to mid-teens and wind chills near 0 degrees. The overnight low Sunday into Monday is expected to be around 8 degrees.
“Although considerable forecast uncertainty remains regarding amounts and related impacts, the potential exists for significant snow anywhere from the Carolinas into portions of the Middle Atlantic,” reads the advisory. That increasing potential for snow will be accompanied by Arctic cold and a blustery wind that will produce multiple mornings of wind chill values in the single digits below zero to single digits above zero through the weekend.”
The predicted winter weather has already led to several postponements and cancellations.
All court is canceled for Monday, Feb. 2. Decisions about Feb. 3 will be made at a later date.
Cole Auditorium has postponed this weekend’s event in its Performing Arts Series, and Rockingham Dragway has again had to reschedule its Champions Banquet, this time for March 21 during the Billy Weeks Shamrock Challenge.
