Winter Storm Warning issued for Rabun County

The National Weather Service in Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina has issued a winter storm warning for Rabun County and the surrounding areas including northeast Georgia, piedmont North Carolina, and western North Carolina.  A storm system moving from the Deep South through the coastal plain of Georgia and South Carolina will spread precipitation into the region from late Thursday evening through Friday morning before tapering off late Friday. Sufficient cold air will be in place for mainly snow to fall across the mountains, with the exception of the lowest valleys of extreme southwest North Carolina. While precipitation is expected to initially fall as rain across the foothills and northwest Piedmont, cooling temperatures will support a transition to snow Friday morning, roughly along and north of I-40. Heavy snow accumulations will be possible in these areas before the precipitation tapers off, or changes back to rain Friday afternoon. While rain and snow are expected to be the main precipitation types, a brief period of sleet or freezing rain will be possible, especially from the Blue Ridge escarpment through the northwest Piedmont, but any sleet or ice accumulations are expected to be minor. Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.  Temperatures falling into the 20s on Friday night will cause slippery road conditions to persist well into the weekend following the storm.  If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.