Snow, sleet to unfold across portions of southern US as cold air arrives

By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist

December 6,2017, 3:13:12PM,EST

 

 

 Cold air infiltrating the southern United States will lead to some snow and sleet through the end of the week.

"Unlike many cool air bursts so far during astronomical autumn, which have only lasted a couple of days, cold air will sweep in and then build," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams said.
Late-week temperatures will be slashed by up to 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the first couple days of the week, settling at below-average levels for this weekend and beyond.
Moisture is forecast to linger in areas from Texas to the Carolinas as temperatures fall.

“Winter will pay a visit to parts of Texas into Thursday night as enough cold air will be in place for snow and/or sleet to fall,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
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Stretches of interstates 10 and 20 will be impacted by snow Wednesday night into Thursday, as well as Big Bend National Park and the Mescalero Reservation.

"The most significant amounts of snow and sleet are expected in the higher terrain between Midland and El Paso, Texas," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.
"A bit of sleet or a wintry mix is likely extend farther to the east in Texas, perhaps including part of the Houston area," Sosnowski said. "A stripe of sleet, snow or wintry combination is in the cards from parts of central Louisiana to southeastern Virginia as the storm moves along for the balance of the week."
The lower Mississippi Valley will only receive a small amount of wintry precipitation on Thursday and Thursday night.
The area from northern Georgia to part of the Carolinas and southeastern Virginia will be at risk for wintry precipitation and possibly slippery conditions from Friday to Friday night.

“If the wintry mix falls heavily, there can be an accumulation and slippery travel despite prior warm surface temperatures,” Sosnowski warned. "Conditions may change quickly, especially late in the day and at night as road surfaces cool."
The Friday evening commute may be affected from Atlanta to Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Richmond, Virginia. Motorists should travel with care, plan for extra travel time and be sure to have plenty of gas before heading out.
If the storm develops to its full potential, up to a few inches of snow could cover some non-paved surfaces with a coating on colder roads and sidewalks.
By contrast, the forecast for the southern United States calls for dry, sunny and chilly weather to sweep in this weekend.
"Freezing temperatures may dip as far to the south as parts of the upper Texas coast, the Mississippi Delta and central Florida," Sosnowski said.