January 17-18, 2018 Snow Event

January 17-18, 2018 Snow Event

Summary

The combination of a strong Arctic cold front, an approaching mid-level disturbance, and low pressure developing rapidly off the Outer Banks, led to a snow event for much of eastern North Carolina on the evening of January 17, 2018 into the morning hours of January 18, 2018. Snow advanced from west to east across North Carolina during much of the day on January 17 behind a strong cold front. The snow diminished somewhat after crossing Interstate-95, but as a strong mid-level disturbance led to the formation of low pressure east of the Outer Banks, precipitation increased near the coast late in the evening of January 17. Before the night was over, locations such as Manteo and Kill Devil Hills on the northern Outer Banks would receive 8 to almost 10 inches of snow. Along the Crystal Coast, the precipitation began as a period of heavy sleet, causing roads to quickly become hazardous. Transition to all snow occurred by midnight in most areas, with the heaviest snowfall occurring in an enhanced band from Downeast Carteret County north across Hyde County and to the northern Outer Banks. Snow amounts were generally from 1 to as much as 6 inches east of Highway 17, higher on the northern Outer Banks, with lesser amounts to the west. This was the second major winter storm to impact eastern North Carolina in the first three weeks of 2018. A storm on January 3-4, produced heavy snow, strong winds and bitter cold across the region.

Official NWS Snow Totals from Jan 17-18, 2018. Low pressure forming offshore led to heavy snow on the Outer Banks.

Heavy snow banding developed from eastern Carteret County to the northern Outer Banks early on January 18, 2018.

Wright Brother's Monument, Kill Devil Hills, Jan. 18, 2018. Highway 12 in Ocracoke (Courtesy NC DOT).

Fort Raleigh Historic Site, Manteo, NC, Jan. 18, 2018. Hatteras Island Ferry Terminal (Courtesy DOT).

Cedar Island (Courtesy: Carteret Co. Emergency Services) Slick Roads in Cape Carteret

Railroad tracks in Morehead City Satellite of Snow Cover from the afternoon of Jan. 18, 2018

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
1257 PM EST Thu Jan 18 2018

...Snowfall Reports...

Location                     Amount    Time/Date       Provider

...North Carolina...

...Beaufort County...
1 NW Aurora                  6.3 in    0620 AM 01/18   Public
1 ENE Aurora                 6.0 in    0614 AM 01/18   Public
1 NNW Pantego                5.9 in    0932 AM 01/18   Public
3 NW South Creek             5.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   Public
1 WNW Aurora                 5.0 in    0719 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
Belhaven                     4.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   Public
Belhaven                     4.0 in    0727 AM 01/18   Public
1 SW Washington              1.0 in    0926 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
1 SSW Washington             0.8 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 SSW Cox Crossing           0.6 in    0849 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter

...Carteret County...
1 N Cedar Island             6.0 in    1236 PM 01/18   Dept of Highways
Harkers Island               3.2 in    0915 AM 01/18   Public
1 SSE Otway                  3.1 in    0900 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
Otway                        3.0 in    0918 AM 01/18   Public
Smyrna                       3.0 in    0919 AM 01/18   Public
1 E Harkers Island           2.4 in    0918 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
2 SW Newport                 2.1 in    0718 AM 01/18   Official NWS Obs
2 W North River              2.0 in    1200 PM 01/18   NWS Employee
Cape Carteret                2.0 in    0725 AM 01/18   Public
Williston                    2.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Merrimon                     2.0 in    0800 AM 01/18   Public
1 SSE Newport                2.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Cedar Point                  1.5 in    0615 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Cape Carteret                1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Morehead City                1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Newport 0.2 SW               1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
2 NNW Pine Knoll Shores      1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 W Bogue                    0.9 in    0826 AM 01/18   NWS Employee

...Craven County...
6 ESE Cove City              1.6 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Havelock                     1.5 in    1134 AM 01/18   NWS Employee
1 SW Bridgeton               1.3 in    0837 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
Trent Woods                  1.2 in    0656 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
3 ENE James City             1.2 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Trent Woods                  1.1 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 SSE Trent Woods            1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Perrytown (COOP)             1.0 in    0800 AM 01/18   COOP
James City                   0.9 in    0718 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 NNE New Bern               0.8 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
River Bend                   0.8 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 NW Coastal Carolina Region 0.7 in    0926 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
Fort Barnwell                0.5 in    0800 AM 01/18   Public
River Bend                   0.3 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Dare County...
2 NW Roanoke Island Festival 9.9 in    0741 AM 01/18   Public
2 SE Southern Shores         9.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   Public
2 SSE Southern Shores        9.0 in    0747 AM 01/18   Public
1 NNW Nags Head              7.5 in    0705 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 SE Southern Shores         7.5 in    0915 AM 01/18   Emergency Mngr
1 SSE Wright Brothers Nation 7.0 in    0901 AM 01/18   Public
1 SSE Jockeys Ridge State Pa 7.0 in    0957 AM 01/18   Newspaper
1 SE Wright Brothers Nationa 6.5 in    0950 AM 01/18   NWS Employee
Rodanthe                     6.0 in    0748 AM 01/18   Public
Rodanthe                     3.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Frisco 2nne (COOP)           2.5 in    0730 AM 01/18   COOP
2 NE Frisco                  2.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Buxton                       2.0 in    0830 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Duplin County...
3 NNW Kenansville            0.2 in    0700 AM 01/18   Public

...Greene County...
Hookerton                    0.3 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Hyde County...
Ocracoke Village             7.5 in    0536 AM 01/18   Public
Ocracoke Village             7.5 in    0530 AM 01/18   Public
Engelhard                    7.0 in    1100 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
1 NE Sladesville             5.0 in    1111 AM 01/18   Public
3 S Sladesville              4.5 in    0800 AM 01/18   Cocorahs

...Lenoir County...
4 W Kinston                  0.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
5 WNW Kinston                0.2 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
4 ESE Kinston                0.1 in    0930 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Martin County...
Robersonville                2.0 in    0730 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Onslow County...
1 NW Pumpkin Center          2.0 in    0600 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
2 NW Verona                  2.0 in    0726 AM 01/18   Public
1 SE Pumpkin Center          1.6 in    0856 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
3 WSW Swansboro              1.5 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
1 ENE Jacksonville           1.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
7 W New River Station        1.0 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
4 SSW Half Moon              0.8 in    0937 AM 01/18   Public
3 NW Swansboro               0.6 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Pamlico County...
Lowland                      4.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Whortonsville                3.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
Bayboro 3 E (COOP)           2.0 in    0700 AM 01/18   COOP
1 SW Oriental                1.8 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
3 W Grantsboro               1.5 in    0907 AM 01/18   Public

...Pitt County...
4 ESE Winterville            1.0 in    0840 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
2 SE Dowdy Ficklen Stadium   1.0 in    0810 AM 01/18   Trained Spotter
2 SE Greenville              1.0 in    0800 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
4 SE Falkland                0.9 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
2 SW Simpson                 0.7 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
Fountain                     0.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS
3 W Winterville              0.5 in    0700 AM 01/18   COCORAHS

...Tyrrell County...
Gum Neck (COOP)              7.8 in    0600 AM 01/18   COOP

...Washington County...
Plymouth                     4.0 in    0702 AM 01/18   Public
Plymouth                     3.5 in    1030 AM 01/18   Emergency Mngr