Snow whitens the Carolinas after wild temperature swing

By Chaffin Mitchell, AccuWeather staff writer

March 13,2017, 7:51:46AM,EDT

 

 While March typically turns warmer, shots of arctic air can still dive down across the Carolinas.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, highs were in the 60s F and 70s F last week, but a dramatic temperature drop covered parts of the southern United States in snow.
"Highs for this upcoming Wednesday and Thursday temperatures may not get out of the 40s with lows in the 20s when the peak of the arctic air will hit. Average highs during mid-March are in the mid-60s with lows near 40 F," Brett Rathbun AccuWeather Meteorologist said.
Based on that information, temperatures will be nearly 20 degrees below normal. It is not unusual for this arctic air to get as far south as the southern United States in March.
"Temperatures have dipped into the teens and 20s but many of these record-low temperatures were set in the late-1800s and 1900s," Rathbun said.
While snow is rare across South Carolina, parts of North Carolina outside of the mountains average a half to one inch of snow during March.
Snow and ice has caused excessive delays at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop for CLT.

Charlotte, North Carolina lightly coated with snow on Sunday, March 12, 2017. (Instagram/robertbro0ks)

Snow starting to coat Wilmington, North Carolina.

Accumulating snow in eastern North Carolina could start to cause slippery travel.

Snow starting to fall in parts of eastern North Carolina.