A recent cold snap had Mitchell residents thinking about winter. Just how bad will winter be this year? Cold, experts suggest, with roughly average snowfall.
Colder-than-average temperatures in the area this past week reminded most people of the middle of January rather than Thanksgiving.
Temperatures this past week ran 10-20 degrees below average for November in Mitchell County. Sunday, Nov. 20 was especially frigid, with highs only in the mid-30s and lows balancing near the teens.
The early winter preview begs the question: How rough might the coming winter in Mitchell County be?
Per the Farmers Almanac, winter will be colder than usual in Mitchell County. Total precipitation will be near average but snowfall is projected to be above average.
The snowiest periods figure to be January and February, the Almanac says. April is slated to be colder than usual.
Relief from the cold is forecast to come in May, which is expected to be warmer. Both April and May are expected to be wetter than usual.
Looking far ahead, next summer’s temperatures are slated to be above normal.
Mitchell County isn’t alone in having to break out the heavy jackets earlier than anticipated. Much of the country ran colder than average this past week and many areas picked up their first measurable snow of the season.
Some snow and wintry mix fell locally. Mitchell County Schools operated on a two-hour delay on Tuesday, Nov. 15 amid an icy, wintry rain that made roads slick.
Other areas in the High Country, especially those at higher elevations, picked up small, quick coverings of snow amid the cold conditions last week.
Mitchell County got off easier than areas in the north. A major lake-effect snowstorm dumped feet of snow in the Great Lakes areas and parts of New York this past week.
Ray Russell of RaysWeather.com predicts about 18 inches of snow and ice in Spruce Pine throughout the winter, with the bulk of it falling in the “first half of the season” and snow totals ending up near the 10-year average.
Spruce Pine saw 16.9 inches of winter precipitation last year.
The coming winter is forecast to be the third La Nina winter in a row, Russell said in his annual Fearless Forecast for the winter. There have only been two La Nina three-peats in history— 1973-1976 and 1998-2001.