Well that was cold! But how cold was it? Single digit temperatures in the south are rare during the winter, but we got there. Some say 8° some say 9° — not that anyone could tell the difference. It was a “bomb cyclone” or, my new favorite Scrabble word if I ever get to build off bomb, “bombogenesis.” And what in the world does this mean? The bomb cyclone was caused by a collision of cold, dry air from the north and warm, moist air from the south. The cyclone was named Elliot and pretty much affected the entire United States. Well, California was spared. But most of us weren’t. As the temperature began to drop, the gusty winds kicked in making it feel like we were all living in upstate New York.
Good news, bad news. The weather came as we were all slowing down from school and work to get ready for the holidays. Most folks had off work so staying home was a good option allowing front line workers to do their job. Bad news: if you had to travel, especially by air, you were out of luck. Getting from point A to point B was virtually impossible with over 6000 flights canceled. A good friend and her son were traveling from RDU to San Diego on Christmas Day to attend the Holiday Bowl and got stuck overnight in Atlanta along with thousands of travelers. She said it was pure chaos. They finally arrived in California a day late and thankful and ready for the game. Hopefully getting home won’t be quite as bad. And of course by next week we will see highs in the 60s.
What is winter really like in NC? Generally it is pretty mild. There can be snow/ice but that melts away pretty fast in the Triangle since it really never stays cold (below freezing) for very long. North Carolina has different weather patterns because of our proximity to the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf Stream and the Gulf of Mexico. North Carolina is one of only three states in which a significant mountain range is adjacent to a warm current of water causing the mixed bag of weather during the winter months.
According to the Farmers Almanac; Winter temperatures will be below normal, with the coldest periods in early December, early and late January, and mid-February. Precipitation will be below normal. Snowfall will be above normal in the east and below normal in the west, with the best chance of snow early and late January and mid-February.
Fun Facts
What is the average temperature in the winter months in NC?
22°F – 50°F
What is the snowiest month in NC?
If you guessed January you are correct with February a close 2nd. Towns like Boone and Blowing Rock get snow all winter with Beech Mountain typically getting 80+ inches of snow making it the snowiest area in the state.
When was the last big snowstorm in the Triangle?
Yep it was January of 2000 with more than 20 inches of snow. I remember that forecast being way off the mark. We were literally snowed in.
When was the worst ice storm in NC?
December 2002 – close to an inch of ice. 1.8 million people were without power, some for 10 days. The sound of trees cracking before hitting the ground was shocking. The kids were out of school for a week.
What is the coldest town in NC during the winter?
Banner Elk takes this one. The coldest record was back in 1985 on Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the state, 6684 ft above sea level, at -34°. Average snowfall on Mt. Mitchell is about 50 inches a year.
When will Spring be here?
Sometime in late March we begin to see warmer days, but don’t be fooled! We have also seen a flurry or two in April.
On the upside, the Winter Solstice has just passed and the days are getting longer. Stay warm y’all.
Penny and her family moved to Chapel Hill in 1998. She soon joined the Town of Chapel Hill’s Telecommunications and Technology advisory board and was appointed by the town to the OWASA board of directors where she served 6 years and held the Vice Chair position. In 2009 she ran and was elected to the town council in Chapel Hill, and in 2012 ran and was elected to the BOCC where she served 8 years, the last two as chair of the board. Penny owns and operates a personal chef and catering company and has been published in Cary Magazine, Gourmet Magazine, INDY Week, Southern Neighbor and News14. She lives in Carrboro with her mom Jersey Jacky. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines