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January 21, 2009
A winter storm is a rare treat for Hatteras and Ocracoke
... WITH SLIDE SHOW By IRENE NOLAN  Hatteras and Ocracoke islands had a rare winter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 20, that left about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of snow on the islands. There are often snow showers during island winters, but accumulating snow does not happen very often. Through the day yesterday, snow lovers on the island were pulling for temperatures to fall low enough for a steady light rain to turn to snow. The change to snow came during the morning hours on the northern beaches, but through the morning and afternoon, a mix of rain and frozen precipitation fell on Hatteras and Ocracoke. Finally, shortly before sunset, the precipitation changed to snow and quickly began accumulating. Islanders headed out with their digital cameras to capture the sight of snow on the seashore, and youngsters headed outside to make snow angels and small snowmen and to use boogie boards and other improvised sleds on any small hill they could find. Wednesday morning brought the unusual view of a winter landscape on the island – snow on grassy areas, sand dunes, roadways, rooftops, and marshes. Although the temperature got barely above freezing on Wednesday, the bright sun melted much of the snow. The white stuff stubbornly hung on in shaded areas. James Wingenroth, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City, said the storm that brought the snow was not a classic northeaster. It was, he said, a coastal low that formed off the coast of South Carolina on Tuesday. “The fact that it remained offshore,” he said, “drew in more cold air behind it….If it had been closer to the coast, it would have been mostly rain.” The snow event was brief, he said, because the low moved quickly out to sea rather than hugging the coast. The snow was heavier to the north and the west of Hatteras and Ocracoke where 3 to 5 inches or more fell in some areas. The roads were icy, but some Island Free Press readers from areas more accustomed to snow will be amused to hear that the snowfall brought everything in the area to a halt. Dare and Hyde county governments shut down early and Tuesday. Hyde county offices remained closed on Wednesday, while Dare County offices opened in the late morning. The National Park Service closed its facilities, including visitor centers, early on Tuesday, and they remained closed on Wednesday. Hatteras and Ocracoke youngsters didn’t get a snow day because schools were already closed for a teacher workday. Click Here To View Slide Show |
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