LOTS OF WINTRY WEATHER INCOMING...

6am THURSDAY UPDATE:  There was just under an inch of snow when I left this morning about 5 o'clock, and there was a good icy layer underneath that snow. Apple Creek road is mostly snow covered on the lower section and totally snow covered on the upper section.  I came down the mountain less than 5 miles an hour in 4 wheel drive with traction control on and I didn't slip, but I'm willing to bet it is slippery with any other type of drive train like front wheel drive or 2 wheel drive. Please use a great deal of caution if you must travel. It was 20ﾟ and will be a very cold couple of days ahead. I-40 from mm27-mm30 was in surprisingly bad shape, fyi.
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Ah, where do I begin?  From our milder temps we crash late today and stay in the meat locker for a couple of days.  Rain changes to snow, accumulating snow, coupled with strong winds that will swing from SW to NW this evening.  I always think 'power outages' possible in this type event, which is a bigger issue when temps are well below freezing. Round #2 of snow showers sets up Friday into Saturday. with more wind and bitter wind chills.  First, the advisory stuff:

Winter Weather Advisory
(above link includes a Wind Chill Advisory, Hazardous Weather Outlook, and a Special Weather Statement)

Specifics for Apple Creek Acres:

SO much winter-weather-weirdness happens at the 3500' elevation and above...conveniently for us, it's the "blue roof house" at Dawen Circle. Much of the accumulation concerns are for the higher elevations and, frankly, closer to the TN border.  Winds will cut back on accumulations, too, so for the upper half of ACA look for 1-2" of snow by daybreak, when any NW flow snow should be ending. Little accumulation is expected at the entrance to ACA (2800').  HOWEVER....

There is a Round #2 that sets up Friday into Saturday, with cold front #2 and more NW flow snow.  At this time, I don't see that being more than an additional inch, with more gusty winds limiting accumulations. Some of those snow showers could make it down into the valleys, but accumulations should be below advisory criteria.  I'll be on the hoof, but will update as needed, so keep checking here.  I'm slated to drive down at 5am tomorrow and will post a quick update by 6am on what I experienced coming down from Staymon.

The cold temperatures will be a shocker; coupled with strong NW winds, wind chills should easily get to single digits as lows dip to 20 degrees, lower higher up.  Should power go out, have plenty of firewood or light up the LP fireplace and candles readied.

As always, I cross my fingers the accumulations stay limited thanks to the winds, and that the tree work that has been done in ACA will limit outages (unless something out of our HOA goes down). Get ready to bundle up, and as always I'll update as necessary later today IF I see significant changes to pass along.

Wheeeeeee.


Bob