Finally, good agreement with model guidance. The most dedicated and toughest of Mountaineers will be out for this one. Blustery winds, cold temps and snow. Wind Chill will feel more like mid to upper 10s to mid 20s.

Hearty stews, warm sandwiches and some of the old mountain anti-freeze may be needed just to get through the tailgating portion of Saturday. Dress for warmth. Hands, head, face and feet will all need to be well insulated.

8 AM - Snow Likely. Temps in the upper 20s. Winds NW 10-20, G-30+ mph

Noon - Snow Likely. Temps in lower 30s (warming?). Winds NW 10-20, G 20+ mph

Kickoff - Chance for snow through the first half. Temps in the lower to mid 30s. Blustery. Gusts to 30+ mph.

1/2 Time - Hope there's hot chocolate! Diminished chance for snow. Mid to lower 30s. Gusty.

End of Game - Lower 30s. Blustery. Slight chance for a flurries, brief burst of snow.

Be smart, stay warm and drive safe. Snow totals will push 1-4" for the event. Lighter totals east of Boone, heavier snow totals closer to the TN side; those may go to 5 or 6". Source region for moisture will be the Great Lakes and the Coastal Low.

GO MOUNTAINEERS!

-WXAPP

Will pack all the wife's clothes in hope we can stay longer than I expect she will want to.

I generally make the trip to Boone with three "weather" bags in the Jeep - one for rainy and not cold, one for very cold and dry, and one for just plain nasty. Looks like this weekend gets the "nasty" bag. Oh, how I love Boone!

How far east will the snow diminish? Am I gonna be able to head home after the game down 421 in my Ford Focus with normal tires? I'm pumped about this game and taking on the weather, but I have to be practical.

AppinATL wrote:How far east will the snow diminish? Am I gonna be able to head home after the game down 421 in my Ford Focus with normal tires? I'm pumped about this game and taking on the weather, but I have to be practical.

Hope you will be fine. Don't do what I did last home game going down 421. Ran over a bear on the south bound lane. Just got my car back yesterday. Several thousand dollars worth of damage.

Good question AppinAtl. I was planning on driving up for the game up Hwy 321 in my rear wheel drive BMW. Don't have a lot of experience driving in snow. I can stand the cold, just not icy mountain roads. Now I am wavering.

Weather forecast calling for 2"-6" of snow over my entire route. With the 4WD in the shop to be painted, I may not be able to get there.

Going up Friday, coming home Sunday. In between looking forward to some snow and App Football.

I know this may not provide much help at the moment but, if I can find a babysitter I will be coming up mid morning Saturday from just south of Winston Salem in my 4wd vehicle. I will try to keep anyone informed that may be interested in riding.

appst89 wrote:Weather forecast calling for 2"-6" of snow over my entire route. With the 4WD in the shop to be painted, I may not be able to get there.

I have a hard time believing there would be much snow sticking with it being so warm the whole week. Could be wrong but I doubt we have 6" on the ground.

JTApps1 wrote:

appst89 wrote:Weather forecast calling for 2"-6" of snow over my entire route. With the 4WD in the shop to be painted, I may not be able to get there.

I have a hard time believing there would be much snow sticking with it being so warm the whole week. Could be wrong but I doubt we have 6" on the ground.

I'm coming through the mountains of SW Virginia and East Tennessee. It's going to be in the low 30s tonight and upper 20s Friday. If it snows here, it'll be on the roads.

Road conditions will need to be watched closely. Track of the coastal storm and the upper level low, will be key. My advice is keep eye on the forecast and make travel decisions based on Friday PM info. Given the type of cold that will be plunging south Friday afternoon and night, any heat energy from this week will go POOF pretty quick, so roads could be an UN-anticipated problem.

I'll do what I can to keep you all up to speed on the trends. Love our Mountaineers, just want folks to be safe however.

-WXAPP

appst89 wrote:Weather forecast calling for 2"-6" of snow over my entire route. With the 4WD in the shop to be painted, I may not be able to get there.

Simple solution... take it out if the shop and drive up with a multi color 4wd vehicle!

No seriously, as much as I want The Rock full on Saturday, everyone please be careful with your travel!

Winter Storm Watch
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
410 AM EDT THU OCT 30 2014

...HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS AND THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF FAR WESTERN VIRGINIA...

.A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PASS SOUTHWARD FROM THE GREAT
LAKES ON FRIDAY...CROSSING THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS ON FRIDAY
NIGHT. UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL
BRING THE SEASON`S FIRST SNOWFALL TO THE MOUNTAINS...WITH LOCALLY
HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGH COUNTRY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND
FAR WESTERN VIRGINIA IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNT ROGERS. STRONG
WINDS WITH THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CAUSE SNOW TO STICK TO
ELEVATED SURFACES...AND POSSIBLY BRING DOWN TREES AND CAUSE POWER
OUTAGES.

NCZ001-018-VAZ007-009-015-301615-
/O.NEW.KRNK.WS.A.0005.141101T0000Z-141102T0000Z/
ASHE-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-GRAYSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WEST JEFFERSON...BOONE...TAZEWELL...
MARION...INDEPENDENCE...WHITETOP...TROUTDALE...VOLNEY
410 AM EDT THU OCT 30 2014

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING
THROUGH 8 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING.

* LOCATIONS...HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS
AND FAR WESTERN VIRGINIA.

* HAZARD TYPES...HEAVY SNOW FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

* ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW...MAINLY FOR ELEVATIONS
ABOVE 3000 FEET.

* TIMING...FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS...LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW...IN ADDITION TO STRONG WINDS...
WILL BLOW DOWN SOME TREES AND CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. ROADS WILL
BECOME SLICK AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH WILL BE
POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS.

A little update. I’m sure Jeff will give more details soon but we’re under a Winter Storm Watch now for Friday (8:00 pm) until Saturday (8:00 pm). Usually Blacksburg is the last to put out watches in the winter so for them to put one out now is against their usual pattern. We’re used to them doing the opposite as spotter and EMS members, with many times in the last few years Watauga and Ashe being under nothing or a WWA and, based on our reports, then upgrading. Greenville/Spartanburg is usually a lot quicker to put up watches and advisories for Avery and points south. Anyway EMS services have been put on alert so I thought I would let you all know.

Those who make the drive be very careful and drive safe. I’d hate to meet some of you having to help you after an accident. Be careful.

Sorry Jeff....looks like we posted at pretty much the same time.

Oh, boy! Better bring the hot chocolate machine for tailgating.

DaphneUrquhart wrote:I generally make the trip to Boone with three "weather" bags in the Jeep - one for rainy and not cold, one for very cold and dry, and one for just plain nasty. Looks like this weekend gets the "nasty" bag. Oh, how I love Boone!

You may need 2 of the 3 weather bags the way the Boone weather acts. I still remember leaving Hilton Head years ago in 80+ weather and arriving in Boone to a wind/blowing snow event. It was a Furman game in the 1980's and I was lucky to have a down sleeping bag in my trunk and I put my feet in and pulled it up to my ears to survive. My date went into the nearby dorm during the first quarter. To top it all off App lost.

***THURSDAY MORNING****

Model guidance pretty much in agreement - snow.. and plenty of it appears possible. 3-6" as of this AM post. Heavier amounts towards the TN Line. Track of the upper level low still key, but as of this AM, if you don't have "all wheel, or 4w drive, I'd seriously re-think my plans about getting above 3,000 feet.

Find ESPN3 and watch it (Harvey's here in Huntersville or Cornelius) from a safe and better road distance. Rain will be heavy, at times, off the mountain through late afternoon. Some wet flakes of snow mixed in at time..

The earlier forecast trend for snow tapering off during the game, is pretty much toast based on this mornings data. So, Snow in the AM, some heavy bursts, with snow in the PM, with some heavy bursts. Snow will end late night Saturday.

This is going to be weather for only the toughest of Mountaineers. Travel problems will be an issue, as I don't see DOT crews staying on top of this sort of set up. I could be pleasantly wrong, but I'd rather you all be safe than a tragic news story.

I'll update again later today.

-WXAPP

nm