Home-based and amateur weather spotters in North Carolina are encouraged to join a countrywide network that documents the size, intensity, duration and patterns of rain, hail and snow.

Called the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, volunteers are asked to take measurements in their own backyards.

“We are in need of new observers across the entire state. We would like to emphasize rural and coastal locations, and areas of higher terrain across the mountains,” state co-coordinator David Glenn explained in a release. Glenn is a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Newport office.

Visit the website and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the website to join the project. After registering, volunteers can purchase the required 4-inch plastic rain gauge through the network’s website at about $40 plus shipping. Volunteers will need to submit their reports through the network’s website or app.

“An additional benefit of the program for the National Weather Service is the ability to receive timely reports of significant weather such as hail, intense rainfall, or localized flooding from CoCoRaHS observers that can assist meteorologists in issuing and verifying warnings for severe thunderstorms,” Glenn added. 

Recently, drought reporting has become an important observation within the program and are now being included in the National Integrated Drought Information System. 

“CoCoRaHS observers provided valuable data for both Hurricane Florence and Dorian,” said Sean Heuser, a state co-coordinator and manager of the North Carolina Environment and Climate Observing Network, or NC ECOnet, at the State Climate Office of North Carolina.

“For these high intensity events, whether they are tropical systems or afternoon thunderstorms, CoCoRaHS observers are able to fill in gaps and provide a clearer picture of where we see precipitation maximums. We also use CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring reports to determine weekly drought conditions across the state and give recommendations to the U.S. Drought Monitor authors,” Heuser said in a statement.

The grassroots program formed after a severe thunderstorm hit Fort Collins, Colorado, in July 1997, causing $200 million in flood-related damage. North Carolina was the 21st state to join in 2007. By 2010, the network had reached all 50 states with nearly 10,000 daily observations.

“Monitoring weather and climate conditions in North Carolina is no easy feat,” state co-coordinator Heather Aldridge said in the release. “CoCoRaHS volunteers help by painting a better picture of precipitation patterns across North Carolina, filling in data gaps where there are no nearby stations. Reporting rain, hail, snow, and drought conditions is a fun activity for all ages.”

National Weather Service forecasters are expecting heavy snow and dangerously low temperatures along eastern North Carolina starting Tuesday evening and continuing into Wednesday morning.

With the coast expecting between 4 and 8 inches of snow, the possible effects have prompted a growing list of closures and cancellations for most coastal government offices from Currituck to Brunswick into Wednesday.

“High confidence remains that we will see an impactful snow storm starting after sunset tonight and lasting through early tomorrow morning. Blowing and drifting snow is expected, and brief blizzard conditions are also possible, especially along the Outer Banks,” meteorologists in the Newport office state in their final Tuesday briefing for the storm Tuesday afternoon.

Extremely cold weather is forecast to persist through Thursday, with morning lows in the teens and wind chills in the single digits. Highs Wednesday are unlikely to allow for a thaw, despite sunny skies. “Any snow that does melt during the daytime will refreeze into black ice at night, prolonging hazardous travel conditions for several days,” according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service Wilmington office Meteorologist-in-Charge Steven Pfaff said Tuesday to expect a recipe of snow and sleet, especially along coastal areas from near Southport to Georgetown, South Carolina.

Residents should consider the potential for heavier bands of snow that may lead to isolated higher accumulations overnight. The snow could keep falling along the coast until 5 to 8 a.m. Wednesday, Pfaff said.

In the Wilmington office’s final briefing around 4:30 p.m., forecasters said “Winter Storm Warnings are in effect everywhere, for 3-5 inches of snow over many areas with locally higher amounts.”

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Erik Heden, with the Newport office, noted during a late Tuesday morning briefing that this is not a typical winter weather storm, “where we see the snow, and then it’s melted and gone by afternoon. This will stick around for many days … because of the amount of snow, and also because the extreme cold temperatures, below freezing, especially at night.”

Heden said any snow that melts Wednesday will refreeze. “We’re into a stretch of cold weather that will just enhance the snow in terms of keeping it around on the ground for many days.”

Snow coupled with the wind will make traveling “quite treacherous,” because of poor visibility and slippery conditions on roadways. He added that the snow is to stop early Wednesday morning, but travel could remain hazardous for the remainder of the week, especially if the roads freeze over.

State transportation officials have a similar message. That residents should stay off the roads once the storm begins unless absolutely necessary.

“We’ve been out putting salt brine on roads since the weekend and are completing those operations to get ready for what Mother Nature brings,” said North Carolina Department of Transportation Chief Operating Officer Chris Peoples in a statement. “People should get any food and supplies they may need now so they don’t have to be on the roads later today, tonight or tomorrow morning unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

More than 800 transportation employees in eastern North Carolina have been pretreating roads and getting ready for the storm.

As of Tuesday afternoon, crews statewide had placed more than 1.7 million gallons of brine on roads. The saltwater solution lowers the freezing temperature of water to about 18 degrees, helping prevent ice from forming on pavement, according to NCDOT.

“During winter weather, just like in any severe weather situation in our state, our number one priority is keeping people safe,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a release. “Please continue to monitor local weather reports, keep off the roads if you can, and stay prepared for possible power outages.” 

Multiple warming stations are opening because of the cold temperatures. County emergency managers are to report warming stations that are opening in their communities on county websites, the governor’s office said late Tuesday.

Post updated with information from the governor’s office.

Eastern North Carolina could experience power outages and dangerous travel conditions this weekend due to what the National Weather Service’s Morehead City office staff are calling a “significant multi-hazard winter storm.”

Snow and sleet are forecast for eastern North Carolina except Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island late Thursday evening to Saturday morning. Most areas will have 1 to 4 inches of combined snow and sleet. North of U.S. 64 could see 6 inches. The best chance for snow Friday afternoon into early Saturday morning.

Officials also said travel conditions will be hazardous to nearly impossible at times due to significant icing, sleet, and snow for eastern North Carolina except Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. Roads will likely be treacherous through Sunday morning due to subfreezing temperatures.

“There’s still some question marks always with a forecast but if the current forecast holds, if we realize the amount of ice we’re forecasting and have continued to forecast, this is something we haven’t seen in our area before,” Erik Heden, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Morehead City office, said during the 4:30 p.m. Thursday briefing. “We get snow and ice but this is something we haven’t seen before in our area, so please keep that in mind. Again, very significant ice potential.”

Highest ice accumulations are expected for Onslow, Jones, south Craven, Pamlico and western Carteret counties late Thursday night through Saturday morning. Impacts may last into early Sunday due to subfreezing temperatures. Widespread power outages begin when about a quarter-inch of ice accumulates on power lines.

Weather officials said there are minor soundside coastal flooding concerns for southern Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island, soundside southern Craven County, and soundside Eastern Carteret County and minor oceanside coastal flooding concerns for northern Outer Banks.

The Wilmington Weather Service officials predict rain to begin Thursday afternoon and evening as the cold front moves across the area from west to east. The transition to freezing rain is expected Friday morning for most areas, but not until the afternoon across far southern portions of southeastern North Carolina. A mix of wintry weather, including sleet, is expected Thursday afternoon, then a transition to some snow is expected Friday night into Saturday morning. The precipitation is expected to end on Saturday morning.

Beaufort, Bertie, Hyde, Onslow, Pender and Washington county government offices will be closed Friday. Brunswick and New Hanover government offices, parks, and libraries will be closed Friday and Saturday.

Gov. Roy Cooper has signed a state of emergency in advance of this second winter storm to move through the state in a week.

“This state of emergency will waive some transportation regulations to allow for quicker storm preparation and response and power restoration,” Cooper said. “North Carolinians should prepare today for this storm and make sure they have any medications, food and emergency equipment they may need over the next few days.”

Providing a separate emergency declaration, documentation and expense tracking are important when seeking federal reimbursement for two different storm events.

While last weekend’s storm brought the most significant impacts to western and central counties, this new storm is expected to bring several inches of snowfall from the Triangle northeast toward the coast, and up to a half-inch of ice accumulation to southeastern counties.

To prepare for this storm and possible power outages, North Carolina Emergency Management advises people to do the following:

• Get the groceries and essentials you need before Thursday evening. Travel will become hazardous in many parts of eastern North Carolina after that.
• Keep cell phones, mobile devices and spare batteries charged in case your power goes out
• Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights.
• Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.
• Properly vent kerosene heaters and ensure generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
• Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.
• Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit and road map.
• Gather emergency supplies for your pet including leash and feeding supplies, enough food and for several days and pet travel carrier.
• Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather.

Visit ReadyNC.gov for additional information on winter weather preparation, as well as information on power outages. Visit DriveNC.gov for current travel conditions from NCDOT.

Photo of the Week: Feb. 9 – 15, 2015

Photograph by Jeffery King, Oak Island, N.C.

Five years ago this week Oak Island was a winter wonderland. Resident Jeffery King captured this rare sight at 40th Street on the island, his first snow on the North Carolina coast.

This photograph originally won first place in a N.C. Coastal Federation contest in 2011. It gives you an idea of an image we’d choose as the photo of the week for Coastal Review Online’s photography contest. Submit your photos now for a chance to win publicity and cash.