HIDE Winter Weather Advisory issued February 11 at 12:21PM EST until February 12 at 6:00AM EST by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg
...BITTERLY COLD WITH NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS TODAY AND TONIGHT
OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS...
.ARCTIC AIR WILL SPILL INTO THE REGION TODAY WHICH WILL CAUSE
TEMPERATURES TO PLUMMET AND SNOW TO DEVELOP OVER THE NORTH
CAROLINA MOUNTAINS NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER. COLD AND BLUSTERY
NORTHWEST WINDS ALONG WITH SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST
SUNDAY...
* LOCATIONS...MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA.
* HAZARDS...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL PRODUCE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
DUE TO SLIPPERY ROADS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY AT TIMES. STRONG
WIND GUSTS EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT.
* TIMING...IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW.
* IMPACT...HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. A FEW POWER OUTAGES DUE
TO HIGH WINDS KNOCKING DOWN TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES.
WITH FAIRLY WARM GROUND...SNOW WILL MELT AND THEN QUICKLY
REFREEZE...MAKING FOR UNUSUALLY TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS
AS THE DAY PROGRESSES.
* TEMPERATURES...WILL HOLD STEADY IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S FOR
THE VALLEYS AND UPPER 20S FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS TODAY AND
THEN FALL INTO THE TEENS THIS EVENING AS THE COLDER AIR MOVES
IN.
* WINDS...WILL STEADILY INCREASE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST TODAY WITH
SPEEDS BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH
OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
Counties Affected: Madison
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg (Western North Carolina and Northwest South Carolina) HIDE
That's Why It's Called a Floodplain! by National Committee for the New River
Latest Update: April 15, 2010
Along the New River this winter, many landowners saw and felt the results of major winter storms and extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures. In many areas, the river froze in layers of thick ice. Simultaneous events of moderating temperatures and heavy rain caused the river to rise and the ice to crack, forming huge ice floes. The rising waters carried the ice floes up onto the floodplain, the natural area for high-water levels to gravitate. You may remember seeing pictures of this phenomenon on Ray's Weather's Photo of the Day this winter.
Contrary to popular belief, flooding is a very good thing for the river to do. This winter the floodplains were doing the important work of allowing the water from snow melt, ice melt, and rain to flow up and out of the river banks, dispersing the energy of that tremendous amount of water entering the watershed. Floodplains hold large quantities of water, which slows the flow of water. They allow the sediment carried by the water to settle out on land where it is needed, instead of in the river. Native plants in the floodplain filter pollutants and chemicals from the water, improving water quality for both humans and wildlife. The water held on floodplains also allows the groundwater to recharge, keeping the water in the area to supply streams and wells.
In some cases, flood waters and ice damaged the vegetation along the river but the river banks themselves remain mostly unchanged. This is NOT the time to take advantage of cleared banks and start a lawn to the river. The shrubs, grasses, and trees on the river bank are the important riparian buffer that prevents erosion, absorbs pollutants in stormwater runoff, shades the river to keep it cool for fish, and provides food for wildlife, among other things.
Landowners should know that while the vegetation itself was sheared off or flattened, the root systems in most cases remain intact. Inaction is the best action as the root mass in the banks will send up new growth this spring for both grasses and wildflowers and the native shrubs.
Mother Nature has used this winter weather to remind us of the importance of floodplains and riparian buffers. All of the snow and ice has replenished the water tables and the flooding will provide nutrients and water for spring growth and rebirth. Just sit back and enjoy the show!
