SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Issue Date: 619 PM EST THU DEC 31 2009
Expiration: 1030 AM EST FRI JAN 01 2010
...A PROLONGED PERIOD OF VERY COLD AIR TO AFFECT THE REGION
BEGINNING FRIDAY NIGHT... LIKELY LASTING FOR A WEEK OR MORE...
A VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL SURGE INTO NORTHWEST NORTH
CAROLINA FRIDAY NIGHT... WITH INTENSE COLD EXPECTED THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. LOWS BY SATURDAY MORNING WILL FALL INTO THE 15 TO 20
DEGREE RANGE. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS
BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH. WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DIP TO AS LOW AS 5
DEGREES SATURDAY. THIS WILL ONLY BE THE BEGINNING OF A LONG
DURATION COLD SPELL WHICH SHOULD LAST WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. THE
TEMPERATURES MAY REMAIN BELOW FREEZING FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
OUR REGION TYPICALLY EXPERIENCES A COLD SPELL EACH WINTER IN
WHICH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA FALLS TO AROUND 10 DEGREES... WITH
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES REMAINING NEAR FREEZING. HOWEVER... THE
DURATION OF THE COLD USUALLY LASTS ONLY A DAY OR TWO.
THE EXPECTED DURATION AND INTENSITY OF THIS COLD EVENT WILL BE A
VERY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. THIS INTENSE COLD EVENT WILL BE NEARLY
CONTINUOUSLY REINFORCED BY A COUPLE OF VERY STRONG ARCTIC HIGHS.
THESE HIGHS WILL PUSH FROM NORTH CENTRAL CANADA SOUTHWARD THROUGH
THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN UNITED STATES DURING THE NEXT WEEK. THIS
COLD EVENT WILL LIKELY LAST THROUGH THE NEXT 7... TO POSSIBLY 14
DAYS... IN WHICH LOWS WILL FREQUENTLY FALL INTO THE TEENS. HIGHS
SHOULD ONLY REACH INTO THE LOWER TO MID 30S... ENSURING MANY HOURS
OF SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES. A COMPARABLE COLD SPELL BASED ON SOME
OF THE HISTORICAL COLD EPISODES FROM THE PAST INCLUDES THE LAST
TWO WEEKS OF JANUARY 1977.
PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE NOW TO ENSURE THAT HEATING SYSTEMS
ARE IN STRONG WORKING ORDER... ANY EXPOSED PIPES ARE PROPERLY
INSULATED OR COVERED... AND CRAWL SPACE VENTS ARE CLOSED. CHECK ON
THE ELDERLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE AND SAFE HEATING. IN
ADDITION... REMEMBER THE SAFETY RULES FOR SAFE HOME HEATING.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 328 PM EST THU DEC 31 2009
Expiration: 330 PM EST FRI JAN 01 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
WIDESPREAD FOG IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA...WITH SOME LOCALLY DENSE FOG POSSIBLE ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE REGION. NEW YEAR`S EVE TRAVELERS SHOULD DRIVE WITH
EXTREME CAUTION TONIGHT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
AN ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL BUILD INTO CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA FOR THE
WEEKEND. LOW TEMPERATURES OF 15 TO 20 CAN BE EXPECTED SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY... WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S. BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL
PRODUCE VERY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS COLD AIR WILL EXTEND WELL
INTO NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE AN EXTENDED COLD PERIOD WITH LOWS NEXT
WEEK BETWEEN 15 AND 20. EVERYONE SHOULD PROPERLY PROTECT EXPOSED
WATER PIPES AND CHECK HEATING UNITS.
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