ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County is now under an Extreme Cold Warning and a Winter Weather Advisory.
As an Arctic air mass moved in Sunday, temperatures were already dropping and snow had started falling in the higher elevations of Western North Carolina.
Temperatures are expected to fall into the teens Sunday night across the foothills and Piedmont and single digits in most of the mountains, with some high elevations falling below zero, the National Weather Service said.
The coverage and intensity of the snow is expected to increase throughout the afternoon and night with widespread amounts of 3-6 inches expected above 3,500 feet along the Tennessee border, with 8-12 inches at elevations above 5,000 in the Smokies through the night.
It is going to be a frigid week across WNC with temperatures dipping into the single digits on Monday and Tuesday mornings. However, forecasts are for temperatures to move back above freezing by the end of the week.
An Extreme Cold Warning is in effect for Avery, Buncombe, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey counties until noon Monday.
The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. Pets and livestock will be endangered by extreme cold if left unprotected for extended periods.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 7 a.m. Monday for Buncombe County, which could get up to 4 inches of snow in elevations above 3,500 feet.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Monday for Grahama and Swain counties, which could get
3 to 12 inches of snow in higher elevations.