Prolonged cold stretch begins; snow and ice for mountains likely Sunday into Monday

(PINPOINT WEATHER) — Good morning and welcome to the first weekend of 2025! This weekend and beyond will be the start of our prolonged cold snap. 

It is a frigid start this morning, with temperatures in the 20s for most and teens in the mountains.

Although the snow has stopped in the mountains, wind chills this morning in the high country are below zero degrees at times due to a strong northwesterly breeze.

Afternoon high temperatures will be in the 30s for the mountains and 40s for the rest of the region. Those temperatures are about 10 degrees below normal and this will be under full sunshine today.

Temperatures will dip back into the teens and 20s tonight under mostly clear skies. Less of a breeze will keep wind chills a bit higher tonight for the mountains.

More 40s for highs on Sunday afternoon, with clouds increasing through the day.

Our next system will arrive late Sunday into Monday and will mainly bring rain to most of the region. However, the mountains will see a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. 

A winter storm watch has been issued for Avery, Watauga, and Ashe counties for Sunday through early Monday morning due to potential hazardous travel. 

Not expecting major snow totals in the mountains, but the icing could lead to slick travel and even power outages.

Rain will continue for Charlotte on and off through the first half of Monday, with conditions turning drier for the second half of the day.

This prolonged cold stretch of 40s for highs and 20s for lows will continue through at least next weekend.

It is a great pattern for snow, but confidence is low regarding any possible wintry precipitation for the Charlotte metro area.