HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 408 AM EST FRI JAN 1 2010
Expiration: 600 AM EST SAT JAN 02 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
AREAS OF FOG WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS
MORNING...WITH SOME PATCHY DENSE FOG POSSIBLE. TRAVELERS SHOULD
DRIVE WITH CAUTION.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
VERY COLD AIR WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK. WEEKEND HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 30S...AND LOW
TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE TEENS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. STIFF
NORTHWEST WINDS...STRONGEST ON SATURDAY...WILL PRODUCE LOW WIND
CHILLS. EARLY SUNDAY AND MONDAY MORNINGS...THE AIR WILL FEEL LIKE
IT IS ONLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS IN MANY LOCATIONS. ONLY MODEST
IMPROVEMENT IN TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILL IS EXPECTED EARLY NEXT
WEEK.
WITH AN EXTENDED COLD PERIOD EXPECTED...TAKE SOME TIME TO PREPARE
FOR THE COLD. PROPERLY PROTECT EXPOSED WATER PIPES AND CHECK
HEATING UNITS. CONSIDER CLOSING CRAWL SPACE VENTS. REMEMBER SAFETY
RULES FOR SAFE HOME HEATING.
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 CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA FRIDAY NIGHT... WITH INTENSE COLD EXPECTED THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. LOWS OVER THE WEEKEND WILL FALL TO AROUND 20 DEGREES.
THIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 15 AND
25 MPH. WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DIP TO AS LOW AS 10 DEGREES
SATURDAY. THIS WILL ONLY BE THE BEGINNING OF A LONG DURATION COLD
SPELL WHICH SHOULD LAST WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. OVERNIGHT LOWS
WILL LIKELY FALL INTO THE TEENS FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS.
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA TYPICALLY EXPERIENCES A COLD SPELL EACH
WINTER IN WHICH THE TEMPERATURES FALL INTO THE TEENS. 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 COLD 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. THIS LONG DURATION COLD EVENT WILL LIKELY
LAST THROUGH THE NEXT 7... TO POSSIBLY 14 DAYS. THIS WILL LEAD TO
MANY HOURS OF SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES DURING THE NEXT WEEK. 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... EXPOSED PIPES ARE PROPERLY INSULATED OR
COVERED... 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.
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