A rare snow and ice threat for the Gulf Coast and the Carolina Coast

T​he National Weather Service has posted winter storm alerts across the South from central and eastern Texas to parts of Georgia. Cities in those alerts include Houston, New Orleans, Tallahassee and portions of the Atlanta metro area.

These alerts mean that snow, ice and wind could combine to make conditions dangerous early this week. Roads may become covered in snow and/or ice and power outages are possible.

M​uch of this storm will be over with by Wednesday morning, but some snow and ice might linger in northeast Florida and the coastal Carolinas.

T​he configuration for this snow and ice threat is common as we slide through late January and into the second half of the winter.

W​idespread arctic air is taking over much of the central and eastern U.S., including well into the Deep South. This source of fresh, cold air is the first ingredient needed to get snow and ice along the Gulf Coast.

A​t the same time, a weak wave of low pressure over the Gulf of Mexico will help lift moisture northward into the region, resulting in snow and ice.

The track of the system keeps the majority of the moisture and best chances for accumulation along the Gulf Coast and up the Carolina coastlines. Much of the Gulf Coast and the Outer Banks will see ice accumulations as warm air aloft combined with freezing temperatures at the ground level will give way to sleet and freezing rain. Areas inland will see better chances for all snow with temperatures at or below freezing into the upper elevations of the atmosphere. 

While we will likely see nothing here in the county as the air will be much drier resulting in any precipitation that falls likely evaporating before it hits the ground. We cant't rule out  the potential for some snow flurries late Tuesday so i will keep a 20% chance of snow flurries in the forecast for now. 

Continue to stick with Rowan County Weather for the latest.