National Weather Service says confidence growing for significant sleet, ice Friday

We are gaining more confidence on a potential significant winter storm late this week.

When: Late Thursday night through Friday Night.

Where: Much of Eastern NC away from the immediate coastal areas.

What: Significant freezing rain (icing) is possible, along with sleet and some snow.

What we do not know: Specific ice/sleet/snow amounts, and exact locations and type of winter precipitation.

There is the potential for severe icing across portions of Eastern NC. However, how deep and far north and west a developing warm layer progresses above the surface will dictate whether the wintry precipitation is freezing rain or sleet. Accumulating snow is a possibility as well, but better chances of snow appear to be just north and northwest of Eastern NC at this time.

Again, there are a lot of moving parts in forecasting winter precipitation type, amounts, and exact locations when the storm system is still several days away, therefore the attached 'best estimate' map (attached), is subject to change.