Newport/Morehead City, NC

Weather Forecast Office

January 3-4 Snow/Ice and Record Cold Event

January 3-4, 2018 Snow/Ice and Record Cold Event

Summary

A prolonged period of Arctic air initially moved into eastern North Carolina on December 26, 2017 as a persistent long-wave trough kept cold air locked in across most of the eastern United States. Numerous record lows, and even a few all-time record lows were observed across the eastern United States from December 26 through January 8, 2018, and eastern North Carolina was no exception.

During the early morning hours of January 3, 2018, surface low pressure developed off the east coast of Florida, began to rapidly strengthen and move along the Gulf Stream off the Carolina coast during the late evening hours of January 3 and the morning hours of January 4. With the very cold air in place, and with rapid intensification of the low, precipitation developed quickly during the late afternoon hours of January 3. With some warm air aloft, the initial precipitation was in the form of sleet and freezing rain inland, and primarily rain along the coast, which was heavy at times with almost an inch of rain in some areas. As colder air wrapped around the developing low, precipitation became all snow by midnight and fell heavily at times into the early morning hours of January 4. Initial ice accumulation was up to 0.2 of an inch, while snowfall amounts ranged from about 2 inches along the coast, up to nearly 8 inches inland. The overall storm produced blizzard conditions up and down the east coast from north Florida, where light snow, ice and sleet occurred, to Maine, where over 2 feet of snow occurred.

In the wake of the snow, radiational cooling under clear skies and calm winds, led to some very cold nights, capped off on the morning of Saturday January 6, when both Greenville and Washington recorded 0 degrees, then on Sunday January 7, when Greenville had a near all-time record low of -1 degrees and Washington had -2 degrees, while at the Newport/Morehead City National Weather Service office, the all-time record low of 8 degrees was tied. With a low of 9 degrees on Saturday January 6, it was the first time the Newport weather office has ever recorded back-to-back single digit low temperatures. Newport also recorded 8 straight days with temperatures below 20 degrees, another record. With the prolonged cold air, snow and ice was very slow to melt off the roads, and schools and other businesses remained closed for several days.

The storm was also accompanied by very strong winds. As the low was rapidly strengthening off the North Carolina coast in the early morning hours of January 4, gusts of 78 mph were reported at the offshore Diamond Shoals buoy and 77 mph at the Kitty Hawk Kites resort in Kitty Hawk. This strong winds produced blowing and drifting of snow, and a period of blizzard conditions along the Outer Banks.

Surface Low forming east of Florida, Wed Evening Jan 3. Radar showing bands of heavier snow, late evening Jan.3.

Heavy snow bands along the Outer Banks, 4 AM Jan. 4. Morehead City/Atlantic Beach Causeway, Jan 4, 2018, 743 AM.

Highway 158 in Kitty Hawk, January 4, 2018. Highway 70 in Morehead City, January 4, 2018.

Visible satellite from January 5 showing snow cover inland. Strong low off New England with snow cover from FL to VA.

Snow and Ice Cover from January 3-4, 2018 Storm. Table of low temperatures, Saturday January 6.

Regional Snow Total from Blizzard, Jan 3-5, 2018. Havelock, NC snow and ice, January 4, 2018.

Pamlico River, Washington (Credit: Babs Bonner Chandler) Taylor's Creek in Beaufort (Credit: Lucy Taylor Snipes)

Onslow County (Credit: Michael Pratt). Greenville (Credit: Jamie O'Neal)

Snowfall Totals for January 3-4, 2018.

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
610 AM EST Fri Jan 5 2018

...Snow, Ice and Wind Reports from the Winter Storm from
January 3-4 2018...


...Storm Total Snow Reports...

Location                     Amount    Time/Date       Lat/Lon              

...North Carolina...

...Beaufort County...     
Wilmar                       7.5 in    0736 AM 01/04   35.40N/77.14W        
1 SE Washington Park         6.8 in    1100 AM 01/04   35.53N/77.02W        
4 WSW Goose Creek State Park 6.3 in    0730 AM 01/04   35.45N/76.98W        
1 WNW Aurora                 5.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.31N/76.80W        

...Carteret County...
1 WSW Kuhns                  5.0 in    1002 AM 01/04   34.79N/77.15W              
1 WNW Atlantic Beach         3.1 in    0857 AM 01/04   34.71N/76.76W        
Cape Carteret                3.0 in    0857 AM 01/04   34.69N/77.06W        
Cape Carteret                3.0 in    0545 AM 01/04   34.69N/77.06W 
NWS Newport                  2.5 in    0900 AM 01/04   34.77N/76.88W             
1 WSW Broad Creek            2.5 in    0915 AM 01/04   34.71N/76.99W                
1 ENE Broad Creek            2.5 in    0907 AM 01/04   34.72N/76.95W        
Cape Carteret                2.1 in    0600 AM 01/04   34.69N/77.06W               
Michael J Smith Airport      2.0 in    0857 AM 01/04   34.73N/76.66W        
2 WNW North River            2.0 in    0837 AM 01/04   34.81N/76.67W        
1 SSW Smyrna                 1.8 in    0545 AM 01/04   34.75N/76.53W        
Smyrna                       1.8 in    0903 AM 01/04   34.76N/76.52W               
Pine Knoll Shores            1.8 in    0912 AM 01/04   34.70N/76.82W        
3 SE Great Neck              1.5 in    0851 AM 01/04   34.90N/76.63W        
Cedar Point                  1.2 in    0857 AM 01/04   34.68N/77.08W        
1 E Harkers Island           1.1 in    0925 AM 01/04   34.69N/76.54W        

...Craven County...
3 NNE New Bern               6.0 in    0923 AM 01/04   35.17N/77.06W        
2 SE Askin                   6.0 in    0857 AM 01/04   35.20N/77.04W        
Trent Woods                  5.5 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.08N/77.10W               
River Bend                   5.3 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.07N/77.15W        
1 SE New Bern                5.3 in    0954 AM 01/04   35.11N/77.07W               
1 SSE Trent Woods            5.0 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.06N/77.09W        
1 NW Coastal Carolina Region 4.8 in    1145 AM 01/04   35.09N/77.05W        
1 SW Bridgeton               4.5 in    0830 AM 01/04   35.11N/77.04W        
3 ENE James City             4.5 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.08N/76.96W        
1 N Neuse Forest             4.0 in    0908 AM 01/04   34.97N/76.95W               
Fort Barnwell                3.8 in    0953 AM 01/04   35.27N/77.33W        
1 NNE Trent Woods            3.8 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.09N/77.09W        
3 S James City               3.8 in    0830 AM 01/04   35.03N/77.02W        
1 SE James City              3.0 in    0745 AM 01/04   35.05N/77.00W        
2 WSW Havelock               3.0 in    0600 AM 01/04   34.89N/76.93W        

...Dare County...
4 NE Buffalo City            4.0 in    0828 AM 01/04   35.87N/75.86W              
1 NNW Nags Head Fishing Pier 3.5 in    0810 AM 01/04   35.99N/75.64W        
1 N Rodanthe                 3.0 in    0832 AM 01/04   35.60N/75.47W        
1 ESE Hatteras Village       1.0 in    0900 AM 01/04   35.21N/75.68W        
2 NE Frisco                  1.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.25N/75.60W               
Hatteras Island Fishing Pier 0.5 in    1027 AM 01/04   35.58N/75.46W        

...Duplin County...
1 NE Wallace                 4.9 in    0144 PM 01/04   34.74N/77.99W        
1 S Beautancus               3.8 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.11N/78.03W        
3 E Wallace                  3.5 in    0900 AM 01/04   34.74N/77.95W               

...Greene County...
2 E Shine                    3.5 in    0514 AM 01/04   35.44N/77.75W        
Hookerton                    3.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.42N/77.59W        

...Hyde County...
1 SSE Engelhard              3.0 in    0335 AM 01/04   35.49N/75.99W        
Ocracoke Lighthouse          0.8 in    0800 AM 01/04   35.11N/75.99W        

...Jones County...
Comfort                      7.0 in    0505 AM 01/04   35.01N/77.48W        

...Lenoir County...
5 WSW Wise Forks             5.2 in    0656 AM 01/04   35.20N/77.59W               
1 NNW Kinston                5.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.29N/77.60W        
1 ESE Sandy Bottom           4.2 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.20N/77.68W        
3 SSW Kinston Reg Jetport    4.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.29N/77.64W        
1 WNW Graingers              3.8 in    0907 AM 01/04   35.33N/77.53W        
4 WSW Kinston Reg Jetport    3.5 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.30N/77.67W               
1 N Deep Run                 3.5 in    0905 AM 01/04   35.14N/77.70W        
1 SW La Grange               2.3 in    0525 AM 01/04   35.30N/77.80W                           

...Onslow County...        
Holly Ridge                  5.5 in    0600 AM 01/04   34.49N/77.56W        
2 SE Half Moon               5.0 in    0742 AM 01/04   34.81N/77.45W                
1 N Verona                   4.6 in    0900 AM 01/04   34.69N/77.48W        
2 E Verona                   4.6 in    0700 AM 01/04   34.67N/77.45W        
1 NW Haws Run                4.5 in    0942 AM 01/04   34.71N/77.57W        
1 ENE Midway Park            4.5 in    0951 AM 01/04   34.73N/77.32W                
1 NNE Belgrade               4.5 in    1110 AM 01/04   34.88N/77.23W              
1 SSE Pumpkin Center         4.4 in    0609 AM 01/04   34.76N/77.35W        
Verona                       4.0 in    0735 AM 01/04   34.67N/77.47W              
2 ESE Jacksonville           3.5 in    0850 AM 01/04   34.75N/77.38W                      

...Pamlico County...
2 WNW Oriental               5.0 in    0730 AM 01/04   35.05N/76.72W        
2 W Grantsboro               5.0 in    0545 AM 01/04   35.14N/76.88W        
Whortonsville                3.5 in    0843 AM 01/04   35.10N/76.62W        
1 SW Arapahoe                3.5 in    0939 AM 01/04   35.01N/76.84W        
1 WSW Oriental               3.0 in    0900 AM 01/04   35.03N/76.71W               

...Pitt County...
1 SE Dowdy Ficklen Stadium   6.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.58N/77.35W        
2 W Simpson                  5.8 in    0200 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.31W                
2 SSW Dowdy Ficklen Stadium  5.2 in    1021 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.38W        
3 SE Dowdy Ficklen Stadium   5.0 in    0841 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.33W        
1 E Winterville              5.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.53N/77.38W        
1 SSE Dowdy Ficklen Stadium  5.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.59N/77.36W        
1 NNE Simpson                4.8 in    0520 AM 01/04   35.59N/77.27W        
Simpson                      4.5 in    0730 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.28W        
3 NE Winterville             4.1 in    0811 AM 01/04   35.56N/77.37W        
3 W Winterville              4.0 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.53N/77.45W        
2 SSW Dowdy Ficklen Stadium  4.0 in    0748 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.38W        
3 NW Winterville             3.8 in    0947 AM 01/04   35.56N/77.44W        
2 SE Dowdy Ficklen Stadium   3.8 in    0900 AM 01/04   35.58N/77.33W        
2 SW Simpson                 3.7 in    0753 AM 01/04   35.55N/77.31W               
1 E Winterville              3.6 in    0811 AM 01/04   35.53N/77.38W               
4 W Black Jack               3.5 in    0900 AM 01/04   35.52N/77.31W        
Ayden                        3.5 in    0815 AM 01/04   35.47N/77.42W               
2 S Dowdy Ficklen Stadium    3.1 in    0804 AM 01/04   35.56N/77.37W        
Greenville (COOP)            3.0 in    1200 AM 01/04   35.63N/77.40W        
Fountain                     3.0 in    0900 AM 01/04   35.67N/77.64W        
3 WSW Fountain               2.3 in    0700 AM 01/04   35.65N/77.69W        
Falkland                     2.0 in    0630 AM 01/04   35.70N/77.51W
                      
    
...Storm Total Ice Reports...

Location                     Amount    Time/Date       Lat/Lon              

...North Carolina...

...Carteret County...
1 W Bogue                    0.20 in   1030 PM 01/03   34.71N/77.04W 
NWS Newport                  0.20 in   1145 PM 01/03   34.77N/76.88W
Cape Carteret                0.20 in   1000 AM 01/04   34.69N/77.06W                        
1 SW Newport                 0.01 in   0950 PM 01/03   34.78N/76.88W        
1 NE Cape Carteret           0.01 in   0730 PM 01/03   34.70N/77.05W                              

...Craven County...
2 SE Trent Woods             0.10 in   0710 PM 01/03   35.06N/77.07W               

...Onslow County...
Catherine Lake               0.10 in   0630 PM 01/03   34.79N/77.55W        

...Pitt County...      
3 SW Greenville              0.01 in   0530 PM 01/03   35.57N/77.42W


...Highest Wind Gusts...

Location                     Speed     Time/Date       Lat/Lon              

...North Carolina...

...Beaufort County...
Bunyan RAWS                  29 MPH    0413 AM 01/04   35.52N/76.93W        
Washington (OCW AWOS)        25 MPH    0505 AM 01/04   35.57N/77.05W        

...Carteret County...
Piney Island (NBT ASOS)      49 MPH    0316 AM 01/04   35.02N/76.47W        
Fort Macon (WxFlow)          47 MPH    0253 AM 01/04   34.70N/76.69W        
Beaufort (MRH ASOS)          46 MPH    0229 AM 01/04   34.73N/76.66W        
Cape Lookout                 46 MPH    0100 AM 01/04   34.62N/76.52W        
Beaufort                     40 MPH    0324 AM 01/04   34.72N/76.67W        
North River (WxFlow)         39 MPH    0121 AM 01/04   34.77N/76.62W        
Cedar Island RAWS            36 MPH    0125 AM 01/04   34.96N/76.28W        
1 WNW Morehead City          36 MPH    0120 AM 01/04   34.73N/76.75W        
Otway                        34 MPH    0314 AM 01/04   34.76N/76.55W        
Croatan RAWS                 27 MPH    1005 PM 01/03   34.76N/76.90W        
3 NW Indian Beach            24 MPH    1008 PM 01/03   34.72N/76.93W        
Cape Carteret                24 MPH    0223 PM 01/03   34.69N/77.05W        
2 NNE Indian Beach           21 MPH    0914 PM 01/03   34.73N/76.88W        
5 NNW Beaufort               21 MPH    0447 AM 01/04   34.80N/76.67W        
4e Harlowe                   19 MPH    0317 AM 01/04   34.85N/76.70W        
3 NW Indian Beach            19 MPH    0708 PM 01/03   34.73N/76.94W        
1 ESE Morehead City          19 MPH    0300 AM 01/04   34.72N/76.71W        
2 W Newport                  14 MPH    1052 PM 01/03   34.78N/76.90W        
0.2 SW Newport               14 MPH    1053 PM 01/03   34.79N/76.86W        

...Craven County...
Cherry Point (NKT ASOS)      44 MPH    1138 PM 01/03   34.90N/76.88W        
New Bern (EWN ASOS)          39 MPH    0206 AM 01/04   35.07N/77.04W        
2 SSW Havelock               22 MPH    0807 PM 01/03   34.88N/76.90W        
1 N Trent Woods              20 MPH    0317 PM 01/03   35.10N/77.10W        
6 SSE Minnesott Beach        11 MPH    0347 AM 01/04   34.90N/76.78W        

...Dare County...
KHK Resort (WxFlow)          77 MPH    0325 AM 01/04   35.58N/75.47W        
Oregon Inlet CG (WxFlow)     76 MPH    0210 AM 01/04   35.80N/75.55W        
Stumpy Point (WxFlow)        69 MPH    0455 AM 01/04   35.71N/75.77W        
Hatteras High (WxFlow)       63 MPH    0111 AM 01/04   35.26N/75.55W        
Rodanthe                     62 MPH    0254 AM 01/04   35.60N/75.47W        
Oregon Inlet (WxFlow)        62 MPH    0205 AM 01/04   35.80N/75.55W        
Oregon Inlet                 60 MPH    0436 AM 01/04   35.80N/75.55W        
Avon (WxFlow)                60 MPH    0224 AM 01/04   35.35N/75.50W        
Buxton (WxFlow)              57 MPH    0346 AM 01/04   35.26N/75.52W        
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse     54 MPH    0212 AM 01/04   35.25N/75.53W        
Frisco                       51 MPH    0300 AM 01/04   35.23N/75.63W        
Dare Co Gnry Ran (K2DP AWOS) 51 MPH    0428 AM 01/04   35.67N/75.89W        
Frisco (HSE ASOS)            49 MPH    0458 AM 01/04   35.23N/75.62W        
Southern Shores              48 MPH    0453 AM 01/04   36.11N/75.75W        
Manteo (MQI AWOS)            48 MPH    0205 AM 01/04   35.92N/75.70W        
Dare Bomb Range RAWS         47 MPH    0428 AM 01/04   35.76N/75.87W        
Kill Devil Hills (FFA AWOS)  46 MPH    0120 AM 01/04   36.03N/75.67W        
Nags Head (WxFlow)           32 MPH    0913 PM 01/03   35.95N/75.63W        

...Duplin County...
Kenansville (DPL AWOS)       28 MPH    1225 AM 01/04   35.00N/77.98W        

...Hyde County...
Fairfield RAWS               36 MPH    0417 AM 01/04   35.54N/76.22W        

...Lenoir County...
Kinston (ISO AWOS)           31 MPH    1105 PM 01/03   35.33N/77.62W        

...Onslow County...
Jacksonville (NCA ASOS)      38 MPH    1231 AM 01/04   34.72N/77.43W        
Richlands (OAJ AWOS)         28 MPH    1143 PM 01/03   34.83N/77.61W        
1 SSE Sneads Ferry           25 MPH    0402 PM 01/03   34.53N/77.38W        
6 WNW New River Station      22 MPH    0121 AM 01/04   34.74N/77.55W        
1 W Jacksonville             19 MPH    0213 AM 01/04   34.77N/77.44W        
Hoffman RAWS                 15 MPH    0410 PM 01/03   34.82N/77.32W        

...Pamlico County...
1 WSW Oriental               33 MPH    1130 PM 01/03   35.02N/76.71W        
Minnesott Beach              15 MPH    0740 PM 01/03   34.97N/76.81W        

...Pitt County...
Greenville (PGV AWOS)        25 MPH    1250 AM 01/04   35.63N/77.39W        
3 WNW Winterville            10 MPH    1240 PM 01/03   35.55N/77.45W        

...Washington County...
2 SW Creswell                38 MPH    0320 AM 01/04   35.84N/76.42W        
Pocosin Lakes RAWS           29 MPH    0317 AM 01/04   35.75N/76.51W        

...Maritime Stations...
Diamond Shoals Buoy          78 MPH    0220 AM 01/04   35.01N/75.40W        
Jennettes Pier (WxFlow)      74 MPH    0230 AM 01/04   35.91N/75.59W        
Real Slick (WxFlow)          66 MPH    0325 AM 01/04   35.57N/75.49W        
25 ENE Rodanthe              65 MPH    0300 AM 01/04   35.80N/75.10W        
Duck FRF Research Pier       64 MPH    0148 AM 01/04   36.18N/75.75W        
Pamlico Sound (WxFlow)       62 MPH    0441 AM 01/04   35.42N/75.83W        
Buoy 21 SSE Ocracoke         60 MPH    0200 AM 01/04   34.80N/75.90W        
Ocracoke (WxFlow)            59 MPH    0127 AM 01/04   35.14N/76.01W        
Frisco Woods (WxFlow)        57 MPH    0415 AM 01/04   35.25N/75.63W        
Buoy 30SE New River Inlet    47 MPH    0108 AM 01/04   34.20N/77.00W

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers 
for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.