HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 408 AM EST FRI JAN 1 2010
Expiration: 600 AM EST SAT JAN 02 2010
...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY.
AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING. 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 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.
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