Arctic blast: sub-zero wind chills, 'treacherous' roads expected for WNC

Elizabeth Anne Brown | The Citizen-Times

More: LIVE UPDATES ON ARCTIC BLAST AVAILABLE HERE

ASHEVILLE - Prepare for "wind chills below zero," "treacherous road conditions" and two to four inches of snow, Western North Carolina.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 4 a.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday. Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Yancey, Michell, Madison, Macon, Avery, Transylvania and Swain Counties will be affected.

As of 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 11, it's a balmy 67 degrees at the Asheville airport. But the NWS says temperatures will take a nosedive as rain hits the mountains at about 2 a.m. Strong winds with gusts as high as 40 mph could push wind chill below zero.

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"Plan on slippery road conditions developing by late Tuesday morning, and possibly lasting into Wednesday morning in some areas," the NWS winter weather advisory said. "The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commutes."

After we cross into freezing in the early morning hours on Tuesday, expect a total accumulation of up to two inches of snow in the valleys and lower ridges (that's us, Asheville) and up to four inches in the higher reaches of the mountains, according to the NWS.

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The latest NWS forecasts anticipate lows below freezing every night for the rest of the week.

The NWS encourages slow and cautious driving when ice is possible. Report snow and ice accumulation to help keep everyone safe on the roads — post your observation and specific location to the National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg Facebook page, tweet with the hashtag #nwsgsp or leave a message toll free at 1-800-267-8101.