Snow coming to parts of the South

You read that right. Confidence is increasing that parts of the South will see snow late Sunday into Monday. A strong, Arctic cold front will race through the South on the day Sunday. Temperatures will fall from spring-like levels to winter-like levels within just several hours. Expect temperatures to drop 40-50 degrees within a 24-hour period. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today.

Surface temperature anomalies Monday morning (blue and purple depicts temperatures well below average)

Typically, behind cold fronts, with dry air moving in, the precipitation chances shut down. That is not the case with this setup. Cold air will be in place by Sanday afternoon, and an upper-level low will approach from the west Sunday night. This upper-level low will provide very strong lift over the region. This strong lift with a developing area of surface low pressure will lead to the development of snowflakes high up in the atmosphere. Looking at the different levels of the atmosphere, the moisture and temperature profiles will support this snow reaching the ground. And once the atmosphere moistens, brief bursts of moderate snow cannot be ruled out. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today.

Upper-level storm system (red colors show the upper-level low late Sunday)

Sounding over northern Alabama (shows a profile favorable for snow to reach the ground)

Models have really started to suggest this is possible so confidence continues to increase that some areas will see snow. Currently, the favored areas to see quick-hitting snow are northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, far northern Georgia, Tennesee, western North Carolina, and far Upstate South Carolina late Sunday into early Monday morning. (It should also be noted Oklahoma, northern Texas, and Arkansas could see light snow early Sunday before this upper-level system strengthens as it moves east into the South later in the day. It should also be noted as the upper-level system and the associated surface low ramp up over the Carolinas, there could be enough dynamic cooling to allow for a quick burst of snow over eastern North Carolina and eastern Virginia–this is lower confidence at this time)

Radar on Sunday

While temperatures have been very warm recently, and ground temperatures are warm across the region, with a couple of moderate bursts of snow possible, some light accumulations cannot be ruled out across northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, far northern Georgia, Tennesee, western North Carolina, and far Upstate South Carolina by Monday morning on elevated surfaces (BBQ grills, decks, cars, etc.).

It should be noted this is a tricky forecast. Temperatures will be near or just above freezing at the surface as the snow falls, but a quick moderate burst could lead to 1 inch of snow falling across northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, Tennessee, far northern Georiga (north of Atlanta), and a few inches of upslope snow over the mountains of eastern Tennesee and western North Carolina. The 1-inch totals will be isolated in nature and most areas won’t see accumulations. No travel issues are currently expected and widespread accumulations are not in the forecast at this time. Keep in mind, these systems can surprise so we will keep a close eye on this fluid forecast. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today.

Snowfall forecast Sunday-Monday

The snow will be quick-hitting and only last a couple of hours for any location!