SALT BOX USEAGE POLICY

Brrrr.  Imagine the snow we would have if all the moisture met up with these cold temps!

You've noticed the myriad plastic storage boxes along Apple Creek Road, labeled accordingly with HOA symbols.  These are salt boxes provided by the board in cases of ICING emergencies for given trouble spots.  The ACAHOA board wanted me to post the policy concerning use of those boxes:

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PLEASE, reattach lids to salt boxes!

 *  Unattached lids will blow away 

 *  Open boxes will accumulate moisture causing ice melt to clump

  

The HOA will attempt to keep two bags of ice melt in each salt box.  This is enough for two icing events.  Please use only one bag of ice melt from each box per event.

No ice melt on gravel roads.

When the contractor has been here and salted the road, please do not add more.

Pre-salting of the road may only be done by the HOA contractor.

HOA volunteers would greatly appreciate your disposing of empty bags.

                                                                                               Thank you

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Bob

JUST A COLD RAIN...

For locations east and south of Haywood County, there is a Winter Weather Advisory for freezing rain the early part of Friday. It looks like we will just dodge the issue by a degree or two, which is fine by me. Ice is the Great Equalizer… I'll drive all day in several inches of snow but a quarter inch of ice and nobody goes anywhere. Looks like it won't be an issue until you get to the Southern edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment and points East into the foothills, should your travels take you that way.



Bob

A FEW ICY SPOTS...

I picked up 0.75" of snow on top of an icy bottom last night, but the driveway was only partially covered...nothing a little salt couldn't handle.

There are a few slick spots on Apple Creek Road at and above the double hairpins, so just a heads up for that. Otherwise, it's a bright and beautiful day. 🙂

NEW PLOWING INFORMATION: SAVE

I just revised tonight's forecast in a prior post a few minutes ago...meant to post this, as well.  PLEASE save/bookmark this page and label it accordingly to help out when we do get a decent snowfall here in ACA.

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The HOA has contracted with a new snow plow operator who will be available to do driveways after he has completed the main roads. 

His name is Nathan Franklin and his number is 828-788-1464. Mr. Franklin has requested that individuals wanting driveways done please leave him voicemail and he will call them.

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Bob

UPDATE: MINOR WINTER WEATHER HIT

As I type at 430pm, Haywood County is under a Winter Weather Advisory, (click link) but not really for ACA, even though we have elevations above 3500'.  The very latest indications are good snows for eastern TN up to and within 10 miles of the TN border, but once again, we stand for a dusting/icing of very little.  One of those "close, but no cigar" type of situations as the cold air does not manifest here before the precipitation ends, basically.  A dusting, at best.  Both the 'filtered' NAM and GFS have pulled back to 0-1" for what's to come, and it makes sense.

I have no reason to expect travel difficulties in the morning.  The school system MIGHT as Fines Creek is a litmus test, and they may pick up sleet/snow of 1+" by daybreak, but truth be told it looks like we are dodging yet another snowy system.


Bob

WEATHER/ROAD UPDATE

TUESDAY 7AM (end of Staymon Rd)

Good snowy morning everyone...well, really for those above the 3500' level at the blue roof house. We picked up a heavy coating of snow that has covered all surfaces, including the roads. It could be little slick for a while so please use caution heading down this morning. There are no road issues below 3500'.

Overall, this basically non-event dropped 0.2" of powdery snow. Thankfully, I captured the first round of snow for prosperity's sake...

SNOWMAGEDDON 11/30-12/1/19

Bob

50/50 ...

I feel bad that after all these years I didn't have the guts to side with my 0 to 1 inch models which unwaveringly held for 24 straight model runs. However, the NWS warning/advisory has been verifying not too far from us to the North and especially along the Tennessee border where they are getting significantly more snow. I saw a car at Food Lion that had a couple of inches on it that came down from Crabtree.

 While the warnings and advisories continue until 7 o'clock in the morning, the radar echoes are pretty empty and I don't think ACA will see anything more than the few flakes flying around like we've been seeing this morning. Temps start moderating tomorrow, as well.

Happy December, y'all!


Bob

UPGRADE: WINTER STORM WARNING

For elevations above 3500', the Winter Weather Advisory has been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning (click on link).  Basically, that means a vote of confidence from the National Weather Service (NWS) for the higher accumulations I spoke of in the prior post.

 Truth be told, the forecast amounts per the warning are even higher. It still stands to reason the highest accumulations will be on the Tennessee border. However, the NWS is upping the potential snowfall, even for Waynesville, to 4 to 5" down low and 5 to 10" above 3500'. Seems high to me, but I defer to caution. Do my favored interpolated models see anything new, now? No. Still 0-1".  Hmmm...

As I type a little after 11:00 p.m. tonight, the temperature is 36ﾟ and the snow, at least by the radar, is falling above us toward Fines Creek. I will be updating early in the morning once I see what is happening.

Bob

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

Good Sunday morning, everybody. We now have a Winter weather advisory (click on link) for Haywood County in effect from 7:00 p.m. tonight through 7am Tuesday.

 This incoming snow situation is a bit different than any I've seen in many years. Pretty heavy accumulations will occur along the Tennessee border and maybe 5 to 10 miles from it before there is a sharp drop off in accumulations. My models still show ACA in the 0 to 1" category; however, the advisory is saying 1 to 2" in the lower elevations and for our upper elevations that could be from 2 to 4". It's best to defer to the NWS and be prepared for their projections. I'll be curious about totals as not one single model run of the GFS and NAM the past couple of days has had ACA in more than the 1 inch category.

 This morning's rain showers will soon end, and the Sun should return for another mild day. The temperatures start to drop tonight with a cold front with the snow setting in after dark but mostly in the overnight hours. Northwest flow events can continue for more than a day, and accumulations can be a real wild card. Thankfully, we've got a nice day to prepare for this roll of the weather dice.


Bob