WEATHER ALERT: 1/28/14 @ 11 AM
Northeast FL/Southeast GA Partners,
...Winter Storm Warning for Southeast GA late tonight and Wednesday...
...Winter Storm Watch now in effect along I-10 corridor in Northeast FL Wednesday into Wednesday night...
...Wind Chills in the 20s Wednesday and Wednesday night...
We are closely monitoring the evolution of a winter storm expected over much of our region late tonight through Wednesday and into Wednesday night.
A large area of precipitation presently over the Gulf Coast states (see mid-morning radar image below) will spread eastward over our region late this afternoon and through the night tonight.
Temperatures at the surface and aloft through much of the night will support just rain...but colder air will gradually spread southeward across southeast GA. after 3 am we may see some sleet mix in across interior southeast GA. In addition...surface temperatures are expected to drop to around freezing. While roads are expected to remain warm enough to for rain to stay liquid...the rain could freeze on bridges...overpasses...and trees toward dawn Wednesday. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for southeast GA for this potential very late tonight and through the day Wednesday.
The initial wave of precipitation is expected to wane Wednesday morning. The latest computer model guidance is suggesting another wave of precipitation spreading eastward across northeast
FL and possibly extreme southeast GA Wednesday afternoon and night.
While confidence is not high...if this scenario occurs...temperatures aloft may become cold enough to allow rain to mix with sleet during the day Wednesday across the Suwannee River Valley region. Late in the day...conditions may support a changeover to sleet and possibly snow in that area of northeast FL...with sleet mixing with the rain further east to the Jacksonville metro area. Precipitation would gradually end from west to east Wednesday night. Surface temperatures are expected to remain above freezing across northeast FL Wednesday...minimizing impacts to roadways. However...temperatures may drop to or just below freezing Wednesday night...which may cause water to freeze on overpasses and bridges.
A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the I-10 corridor of northeast FL due to the potential for a greater amount of sleet or snow leading to some accumulation...primarily on grassy surfaces...cars...and bridges late Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, if a heavier band of precipitation is able to develop during that time as suggested by some of our computer models. The best chance for any accumulation of frozen precipitation during this period is across the Suwannee River Valley regoin...along the FL/GA border and far southern GA.
Winds may pick up Wednedsay and Wednesday night...combining with temperatures in the 30s to produce wind chill values in the 20s during this period.
Uncertainty is rather high right now due to different computer model solutoins. But the potential for winter weather impacts in our region appears to be increasing...focused on the Wednesday/Wednesday night period.