Winter Storm Olympia Bringing More Heavy Snow To GSM
Winter Storm Olympia headed to the Great Smoky Mountains. Another Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina by the U.S. National Weather Center. Winter Storm Olympia will bring a mixed bag of winter weather to the area including snow, sleet and freezing rain over the next 2 days. (When did they start naming winter storms?!) The forecast warns of snow first, then turning to sleet and freezing rain by the time this storm ends Tuesday morning. Frigid temperatures over the past several days will mean the ground is cold enough to ensure the winter precipitation will stick and accumulate causing a real mess by the time Winter Storm Olympia exits.
Ober Gatlinburg as well as the many snow resorts located in the North Carolina mountains are having a great year. All the snow this winter has resulted in some great conditions for snow skiing, snow tubing and other winter related sports. Even the Blue Ridge Parkway which has been closed off and on to vehicle traffic in January and February is reporting lots of people using the parkway for cross-country skiing, snow sledding and hiking!
Here is a link to the Weather Channel with news of Winter Storm Olympia and how it will affect East TN and NC as well as other areas.
Ober Gatlinburg Webcam Live Shot on 2/14/16 (from Ober Gatlinburg site)
Here is the latest Winter Weather Advisory about Winter Storm Olympia from the U.S. National Weather Service for the area:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
10 AM EST MONDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
10 AM EST MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* EVENT…SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED. IN ADDITION…A FEW AREAS MAY SEE SOME FREEZING RAIN
WITH ICE ACCUMULATION OF LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH POSSIBLE.
* TIMING…SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACCUMULATING BY EARLY
AFTERNOON TODAY…WITH A MIX OF SNOW…SLEET…RAIN AND POSSIBLY
FREEZING RAIN TONIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING BEFORE CHANGING
TO ALL RAIN.
* IMPACTS…SNOW AND ICE WILL MAKE DRIVING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF
SNOW…SLEET…AND/OR FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED OR
OCCURRING…BUT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. DRIVING
AND WALKING MAY BE DIFFICULT ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS.
BE PREPARED FOR SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED
VISIBILITIES. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME
TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
