The Governor of North Carolina has just declared a state of emergency ahead of Winter Storm Grayson.

The Storm is expected to hit the state hard tonight into tomorrow morning.

The governor held an emergency broadcast this morning to give further details on what emergency resources will be deployed for the areas of our state expected to be hardest hit.

.@NC_Governor Cooper: state Emergency Ops center activated this morning; impacted part of state I will be calling for state of emergency #ncwx

— NC Emergency Managem (@NCEmergency) January 3, 2018

Winter Storm Grayson is expected to dump as much as 6″ of snow on some parts of our state.

According to the National Weather Service, there is now a 45% chance that the Charlotte region will see snow from the winter storm over the next day or two;

The weather service is now calling for “hazardous” conditions throughout our region and warned the storm could mean icy roads tonight and tomorrow morning.

Charlotte residents are now being asked to salt or de-ice their walkways and sidewalks if any precipitation occurs.

UPDATE 1/4/2018 8:10 am:

Winter Storm Grayson blanketed many parts of our state in think snow cover (thick for our state), with some areas around Greenville receiving over 12 inches of snow and parts of South Charlotte receiving a light dusting;

There are currently widespread power outages in many parts of our state;

Latest estimates show statewide power outages at around 4500; majority eastern NC, in Craven, Dare, Currituck, Carteret, Harnett, New Hanover counties #ncwx #WinterStorm

— NC Highway Patrol (@NCSHP) January 4, 2018

and over 660 trucks are now working to clear roads and lay down over 3,700 tons of salt;

Our crews are out working hard to clear affected areas from snow and ice. Here are the current numbers: pic.twitter.com/fEdsnK0zLB

— NCDOT (@NCDOT) January 4, 2018

Several areas of our state have also issued black ice advisories;

As the snow continues its crawl out of our area, new weather hazards arise. A Winter Weather Advisory for Black Ice has been issued for the majority of Central #NCwx through Saturday Morning. A Wind Chill Advisory has also been issued for overnight Thursday into Friday. pic.twitter.com/zpCcSnhLgG

— NWS Raleigh (@NWSRaleigh) January 4, 2018

Drive safe out there!

Now that Charlotte will be officially colder than Alaska for the next week or so thanks to a freak artic cold front, many Charlotteans are getting creative with how to entertain themselves…and their kids.

Without any precipitation expected all week, snow-making seems to be at the top of many people’s lists.

It won’t be cold enough to make snow by throwing boiling water in the air (it needs to be −30 °F or colder for that to work), and simply spraying your garden hose in the air will just make sleet or freezing rain.

To make real snow, you’ll need to make your own snowgun, using the following items (via Wikihow.com);

• Air compressor
• Pressure washer
• 1/4” cap – 1
• 1/4” NPT Tee – 1
• 1/4”close hex nipple – 1
• 1/4” x 2” pipe nipple – 4
• 1/4″ Female Ball or Gate Valve – 2
• Female garden hose adapter – 1

If all the fittings 1/4” NPT fittings they will fit together snuggly. They should be assembled in the following order;

• Screw the cap onto one end of the hex nipple.
• Connect one of the vertical ends of the Tee to the other end of the nipple.
• On the other end of the Tee (directly across from the hex nipple), connect the 2” nipple. This should leave one smooth side on the Tee, and one remaining opening.
• Connect one gate or ball valve to the other end of the 2” nipple. On the other side of the valve, connect the other 2” nipple.
• On the remaining opening of the Tee, connect a 2” nipple. Next, the other valve should be attached. On the other side of the ball valve, attach the last 2” nipple.
• Finally, the female garden hose adapter should be attached to end of the 2” nipple.

Connect the pressure washer to the female garden hose adapter and connect the air compressor to the 2″ nipple.

Then install your snowmaker onto a large pole or stand at least 6 feet in the air.

Tips:

• The air compressor should be able to pump 8 CFM at 40 PSI or 6-7 CFM at 90 PSI. You can find this on the side of your air compressor. Turn on your water. The air and water pressure should stay around 40-50 PSI.
• Don’t let your air pressure get higher than your water pressure.

Charlotte Meteorologist Brad Panovich build one of these snowmakers a few years back and today he’s been giving it a run for its money;

Have you tried to make snow in your backyard?

Let us know how it went in the comments below!

This week Charlotte (and the rest of the South East) is experiencing a massive arctic air cold front.

In this unique weather phenomena, the isolated band of cold air is creating a situation whereby Charlotte, North Carolina, located at latitude 35.2271° N is actually colder than Juneau, Alaska, located at latitude 58.3019° N. That’s a full 23.08 degrees of latitude difference – the same latitude difference between New York City and Jamaica.

Charlotte Meteorologist Brad Panovich posted this graphic on his Facebook page yesterday, highlighting the striking anomaly;

If you moved here from Ohio or New York (like myself), you may be rolling your eyes, but if you’re from Florida or California, you might need to make some changes.

To prepare your car, top off all your fluids, especially your oil, power steering fluid, and antifreeze. You’ll also want to check your tires and make sure your air pressure is over 32 PSI.

To prepare your home, make sure to drain all fountains and exterior water fixtures. Always let at least one of your faucets drip to avoid freezing pipes. Consider buying a humidifier if you’re sensitive to dry air. If you have an older home with older windows, investing in some shrink film insulation will save you a ton on your heating bill.

To prepare yourself, buy some thermal gloves, a warm hat, and a winter jacket. If you’re going to spend any length of time outside, you may even want to consider buying an electric heating jacket.

If you have a pet – make sure to read our article about how to keep your furry friend warm!

Please share this article with anyone who just moved here from the South West, California, or Florida!