Forecast calls for up to two inches of snow on Tuesday

The National Weather Service in Newport, N.C., has issued a winter weather advisory for portions of eastern North Carolina, including Hatteras and Ocracoke, for Tuesday, Feb. 24., from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Forecasters are expecting about an inch of snow on the Outer Banks with this system, but say that some locations on the coast could see up to 2 inches.

A high surf advisory is also in effect along the coast from Cape Hatteras north until 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Breaking waves of 8 to 10 feet could cause beach erosion at high tide, which is about midnight tonight and noon on Tuesday.

Gale force north winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph are forecast with seas expected to peak around 12 feet in the coastal waters. Winds will diminish on Tuesday to about 15 to 20 mph.

“This is shaping up to be an active weather week,” NWS forecaster John Alardo said in a conference call/webinar late Monday afternoon.

According to the Weather Service, the second in a series of low pressure systems to affect the area is forecast to track southeast of the region tomorrow.  The models, Alardo said, have been trending colder and wetter for the coast, prompting forecasters to issue the winter weather advisory this afternoon to replace a forecast of a wintry mix of precipitation.

Eastern North Carolina will be on the northern edge of the precipitation shield.  Temperatures will drop below freezing tonight and will be cold enough tomorrow for a period of light snow, which is expected to develop Tuesday about mid-morning and end in the late afternoon — perhaps with a transition to light freezing drizzle by evening.

The heaviest snow will fall from late morning until early afternoon with the heavier snowfall along the coast.

Wednesday is expected to warm into the 40s, but forecasters are expecting yet a third in the series of low pressures to also pass south of the area on Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing with it another chance for wintry precipitation.

That storm could bring more significant snowfall to the inland areas of eastern North Carolina, but snow, sleet, or freezing rain are also possible along the coast.

Alardo said it is too early to make any prediction for the Wednesday-into-Thursday storm.

You can find updated weather information and advisories at www.weather.gov/mhx/.

Here is the seven-day forecast for this evening:

TONIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN EARLY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDY WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER 20S… EXCEPT IN THE UPPER 20S SOUTH OF OREGON INLET. NORTH WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

TUESDAY …SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN SNOW LIKELY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND AN INCH. BRISK WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 30S. NORTH WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. LITTLE OR NO ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

WEDNESDAY …PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 40S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH…BECOMING NORTH IN THE AFTERNOON.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT …CLOUDY. SNOW AND RAIN LIKELY…MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE. WINDY WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH…INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

THURSDAY …SNOW AND RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN RAIN LIKELY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. LITTLE OR NO ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW AND RAIN. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

FRIDAY …MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S. CHANCE OF RAIN 40 PERCENT.

FRIDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S.

SATURDAY …MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 40S.

SATURDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 30S.

SUNDAY …PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S.

SUNDAY NIGHT. ..MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.

MONDAY …MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S.