CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Winter Weather Advisory is being issued for Mecklenburg County from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.
As the freeze watch is issued in parts of the Carolinas, we begin to wonder: will we see snow in Charlotte?
New-> winter weather advisory for tonight now includes Mecklenburg county, among others! pic.twitter.com/THuJufWT9j
— Sarah Fortner (@SarahFortnerWx) March 11, 2017
Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich gave the Charlotte area a good "60 percent" chance of traces of snow but zero percent chance of three-plus inches of snow this weekend.
Here are the Charlotte & surrounding piedmont snowfall chances. No big deal, roads just wet. #cltwx #ncwx #scwx pic.twitter.com/K6HVvY43o1
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) March 10, 2017
Panovich is expecting anywhere from a trace to a half-inch of snow in Charlotte, but a slight shift in the storm's track could leave up to two inches in some areas. South of the Queen City could see some mixing, but any chance of accumulation in South Carolina is nearly zero.
Meteorologist John Wendel says snow is most likely to start falling in the Charlotte area at around 3 a.m. Saturday morning, but may start out as rain.
"It's hard to say how much snow will accumulate," Wendel says. "We'll have to figure out how much will evaporate before it hits the ground. How much of the snow will actually hit the ground and doesn't melt."
Wendel says by Sunday afternoon the skies will clear and most, if not all, of the snow on the ground should be melted.
PHOTOS: Sunday morning futurecast
Panovich says this has the potential to be the coldest stretch of weather we've seen since January, with below-average temperatures possible for up to five straight days. It's especially cold for March standards, but even in the middle of winter, these temperatures would be considered cold.
The I-40 corridor is proving to be a tough forecast, as some places could see a rain/snow mix, or two to four inches of snow in the system.
As for travel? Panovich said with the above-freezing temperature on the ground, drivers in the Charlotte area shouldn't expect any travel issues other than wet roads south of I-40 on Sunday.
However, those in Catawba County are advised to stay off the roads as much as they can for Saturday and Sunday. Catawba County Emergency Management says preparations will be made along interstates and the back roads in the county to allow for quicker responses to emergencies.
The First Warn Storm Team is tracking the system. Download the WCNC app for the very latest forecast and maps.
