Extreme 'cold wave' that hit Western North Carolina should stick around all week

ASHEVILLE — Cold surface temperatures and a moist air flow from the Atlantic caused headaches for New Year's Eve drivers, many of whom were surprised by icy roads.

The stubborn cold air mass that helped cause the freezing drizzle is not likely to budge for the workweek, with temperatures expected to stay below freezing for days.

Scott Krentz, a meteorologist with the NWS Forecast Office Greenville-Spartanburg, said New Year's Eve's surprise ice came from a small band of moisture that "snuck under the ridge."

"It had just enough moisture to let off some precipitation," he said. "And the surface temperatures were so cold that whatever hit the ground froze."

Greenville-Spartanburg meteorologist Jake Wimberley said that while the NWS did on Sunday issue a winter weather advisory, it was not in time to warn many motorists of road conditions.

"We got numerous reports of accidents, at least through the I-40 corridor from Asheville to Waynesville," he said. "It was widespread enough, in that it was not just one person who went off the road, but over a large enough area that we knew we needed to get that advisory out."

More: Winter storm catches WNC by surprise, wreaks havoc on roads

Martin Nicholes, 70, got stranded walking a rural road for hours after he and his wife met a family member for dinner in West Asheville.

They left the Anchor Bar on Haywood Road at 4 p.m., and started back to their mountain home off Concord Road in South Asheville.

By the time they got to the highway, traffic was traveling 15-20 miles per hour. Two hours later, they were forced to abandon their cars in the driveway of a stranger, 4 miles from home.

"Our road starts getting rural, and we just got stuck and got over in some guy's driveway," Nicholes recalled.

AAA was too busy to offer assistance, so the stranger offered to drive them home in his four-wheel-drive truck.

The driver made it a mile before ice forced him to turn back, leaving the couple with a 3-mile journey home, a trek that took another two hours.

"There were all these cars of younger people going to parties, strewn all over the road, asking us what was going on," Nicholes said. "I was worried if they were going to get home or be stranded, but a lot of people along the way were taking them in."

Finally home, Nicholes turned on the news to see reports of roads in much better shape, which was, he said, news to him.

So how did such icy road conditions sneak under the radar? All signs pointed to a dusting of snow, Wimberley said.

A wave of upper-level low pressure caused a disturbance in the atmosphere, and as that moved across the Deep South, it enabled warmer moist air to flow from the Atlantic, he explained.

"And as that warm air flows up over a cold air mass, it causes a lift in the warm air and causes precipitation to form ... if the air is sufficiently cold enough, any precipitation will fall as something other than rain."

Weather service observations indicated temperature profiles were ripe for that precipitation to develop as snow.

"But in some areas, it fell as freezing drizzle," Wimberley said. "When that liquid water in the air hit the surface, it froze on contact and caused ice to develop on the roads."

Minute variances in precipitation and surface temperatures can have very different effects, he continued. "That can vary by small amounts and cause snow to turn to freezing drizzle or vice versa," he said.

What's not in question is the cold weather's persistance.

Wimberley said a "cold wave," or a prolonged period with temperatures far below normal, should linger in the area for the remainder of the week. Temperatures should finally be near or in the low 40s by Sunday, he said, though it will still be cold.

With that lingering cold air mass could come big problems, and mountain residents are urged to dress in warm layers, keep pets and livestock sheltered, and check on the elderly or homebound. Dripping faucets at home should help prevent freezing pipes.

Those who venture outside should protect extremities with hats and gloves. Drivers should also be sure to keep their fuel tanks filled to help prevent the formation of ice, Wimberley said.

By Monday morning, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said Buncombe County roads were clear with icy spots. A dispatcher said traffic was moving well, with no major incidents reported.

But Wimberley warned that, as sunshine melts ice on roadways, it could refreeze at night.

"It's always a good idea to be cautious, especially if you're traveling where the roads are shaded," he said.

With temperatures expected to remain at or below freezing for several days, the Red Cross has also issued safety steps for proper home heating, which may be found here.