Several States Receive Their First Snow of the Season: Is a Snowy Winter on the Way?
North Carolina mountains were hit with snowflakes Thursday and Friday following the first snowfall of the season across the Eastern U.S. A cold snap and first snowfall contrast starkly with the recent mild fall.
Higher elevations saw more accumulations in the Northeast. Nonetheless, even the lower elevations of central and northern Pennsylvania and south-central New York accumulated snow. According to the National Weather Service, up to a foot of snow fell across the two states.
How Long Will it Take for the First Snow to Fall in Winter 2024?
Earlier in the day, Milwaukee and Indianapolis saw their first snowflakes.
Snow in November isn’t all bad. Winter weather isn’t determined by first flakes.
USA TODAY interviewed atmospheric scientist Jim Steenburgh of the University of Utah, who believes early (autumn) snows are not always a harbinger of winters to come.
Judah Cohen, a meteorologist with the Atmospheric and Environmental Research Institute, agreed that early snowfall does not guarantee a snowy winter.
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Blizzards in West Virginia and Cleveland
Cleveland received snow during the Browns-Steelers football game Thursday night, presenting a wintry backdrop to the game. Cleveland recorded 0.8 inches of rain Thursday.
AccuWeather predicted the storm will end Friday with 6-12 inches of snow on western Maryland’s and southwestern Pennsylvania’s ridgelines.
Weather service said Friday that 9-14 inches of snow would fall in the West Virginia mountains, along with 50 mph winds.
North Carolina Gets its First Snow
Snow falls for the first time in western North Carolina, still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s devastation. Snow accumulation is expected to range from 2 to 3 inches at lower elevations, and 4 to 6 inches at ridgetops, with isolated ridgetop locations seeing 8 inches.
According to AccuWeather’s Adam Douty, the heaviest snow will fall into Friday morning. Winter conditions may last through Saturday in some areas already experiencing snow.”
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Winter 2024-2025 is Predicted to be Mild and Dry
Forecasters in October predicted warmer-than-average winter temperatures for most of the southern tier and the East Coast. In addition, most of the southern half of the US should see less rain and snow than usual, potentially causing drought conditions.
The Climate Prediction Center’s Jon Gottschalck previously said that an emerging La Nia could influence this winter’s precipitation patterns. Nevertheless, a weaker La Nia “implies a lower likelihood of conventional winter impacts,” the CPC said.
Winter weather forecasts are made by the center for December, January, and February.
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