The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Lincoln County in regard to a storm system forecast to impact the area beginning Saturday night.
The storm has followed a tricky course for forecasters, and up until recently it appeared to be headed out to sea – missing Lincoln County almost completely.
That all changed in the early morning hours today when NWS forecasters interpreted a new course for the event.
“While six or more inches (of snowfall) is possible in portions of the watch area, even just two to four inches of heavy, wet snow will lead to downed branches or trees since leaves are still many trees. This could result in numerous power outages,” the NWS advisory warns.
Local broadcast forecasters, as of noon Friday, were calling for the heaviest snowfall to hit the coast, with three to five inches of accumulation.
Inland areas are forecast to see two to four inches. Some local forecasters warned that new information as yet to be analyzed, indicated a trend toward even heavier snowfall.
Any accumulated snowfall is not expected to affect the area for long. Ground temps are still above the freezing mark and a stretch of sunny weather with highs in the mid-40s should follow the storm, according to forecasters.
Presently, the storm is forecast to chug in to Lincoln County after 9 p.m. on Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall occurring overnight, and some snowfall continuing into Sunday morning.
The event may begin with rainfall, and rainfall may mix in during storm, which would affect snowfall totals.
The Lincoln County News will continue to follow this event and report any additional information here as soon as it becomes available.
