Live updates: Major nor’easter to ‘bomb out,’ Carolinas in threat zone for heavy snow, intense wind

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, could see 3 to 5 inches of snow this weekend, which would be one of the biggest snowfall events ever recorded, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

With the impending nor’easter, Charlotte, North Carolina, could see several inches of snow which would be the biggest snowfall since 2022.

The city is expecting 3 to 5 inches this weekend, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

In some parts of North Carolina, it has been over a decade since even in inch of snow was on the ground. That could change soon with an incoming nor’easter that could bring several inches of snow to parts of the state this weekend.

North Carolina Snow Climatology shows that most of the state hasn’t gotten a foot of snow since the late 1990s into the early 2000s. Current forecast models predict that the majority of the state could see between 5 and 12 inches by Sunday.

Despite a sunny day in the Baltimore-Washington DC area, very little melting has occurred, meaning any additional snow that falls this weekend will pile on top of what’s already there.

With colder temperatures expected to make their way into Florida during the nor’easter this weekend, strong wind gusts will also be a concern.

This will happen as a cold front sweeps through the state. Areas from the Florida panhandle all the way down to the Fort Myers-Naples area could see snowflakes, though the chance is very low.

There is currently a 10 to 20% chance of snow flurries along the coast late Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Click here for more information.

First coastal flood forecasts show that the Outer Banks could see water levels higher than we saw from Hurricane Erin swells last August.

The National Water Prediction Service said the tide could reach 7.1 feet in Duck. The record high tide is currently 7.8 feet.

This weekend’s nor’easter will likely trigger more travel headaches along the East Coast. Major U.S. airlines are preparing for delayed and canceled flights by issuing travel waivers ahead of the storm. Those waivers often allow passengers to reschedule and rebook their flight without paying a change fee.

Here are the travel waivers issued so far:

While people work to clear away the snow from last weekend’s historic winter storm, the last thing they want to hear is that another storm is on the way. Fortunately for the millions that live along the I-95 corridor in the Northeast, this new storm will largely miss the region.

Snow is expected in New York down to Philadelphia and into Washington on Sunday, but these cities will likely see less than an inch of accumulation. The heaviest snow will fall in southeast Massachusetts on Cape Cod. The FOX Forecast Center says the cape could see up to a foot of snow with dangerously strong winds up to 70 mph. It’s this area that may experience blizzard conditions on Sunday as the powerful nor’easter bombs out over the Atlantic.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation says it is coordinating with emergency management partners ahead of this weekend’s nor’easter. Right now, crews are out pretreating roads before the first flake even falls. SCDOT is also preparing crews and equipment to clear the roads when the storm ramps up.

The Sunshine State is gearing up for what could be some of the coldest weather in 15 years. By Sunday morning, actual air temperatures are forecast to reach the 20s across Central Florida. Even Miami won’t escape the cold. Sunday morning’s low temperature is expected to dip down to 36°F.

But the temperature is only half the story. Powerful northwest winds will be pushing that frigid air farther and farther south. Gusts of 30-40 mph will be common across the state. And that will have a dramatic impact on the wind chill temperature.

Wind chills are predicted to plunge into the 10s and 20s all the way down to Miami. These bone-chilling numbers aren’t just cold, they’re dangerous. With wind chills this low, frostbite can set in within an hour. That means everyone should be bundling up, covering exposed skin and avoiding prolonged periods outdoors in these extreme conditions.

NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters are en route to gather vital data ahead of the developing nor’easter, data that will help improve computer forecast models. A NOAA Gulfstream IV just took off from its base in Lakeland, Florida. It will fly ahead of where the storm is expected to develop in order to get a better idea of how the atmosphere is shaping up. The data it collects will be fed directly into the powerful supercomputers that produce weather forecast models, which has been been proven to increase forecast accuracy.

The FOX Forecast Center is calling for nearly a foot of snow to fall on parts of North Carolina this weekend. FOX Weather’s latest snow forecast shows parts of the Piedmont and North Carolina’s Sandhill region getting 8-12 inches as a nor’easter rapidly intensifies off the East Coast. Data from the North Carolina Climate Office reveals some of these areas haven’t seen this much snow in 68 years.

The National Weather Service just issued a Winter Storm Watch for Charleston, South Carolina ahead of this weekend’s nor’easter. The watch says heavy snow could driving very difficult from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. Right now, the FOX Forecast Center says 1-3″ of snow is likely in and around the Charleston area.

The National Weather Service in Atlanta just issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Atlanta metro area ahead of this weekend’s nor’easter. The watch is up for Friday evening through Sunday morning and says snow accumulations could reach up to 2 inches with winds gusting to 35 mph. Drivers should plan for hazardous driving conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses.

We’re not taking our eye off the ball when it comes to winter weather.

In a post on X, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says “While response to last week’s storm may be winding down, we’re already monitoring and preparing for what this weekend could bring. Forecasts suggest this system will be very different and smaller in impact, but I’m still urging Georgians to remain weather aware and stay tuned for updates.”

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division is actively monitoring a weather system that is expected to bring snow across the state Friday night into Sunday morning.

SCEMD officials are coordinating with the State Emergency Response Team, the National Weather Service and local emergency managers to track the system and share timely updates and guidance on potential impacts across South Carolina.

The FOX Forecast Center says this weekend’s nor’easter will largely miss big cities like New York and Philadelphia. But a change in the storm’s track – just 50 miles east or west – could mean the difference between no snow and big snow.

FOX Weather’s latest snow forecast for the Northeast shows just how close New York and Philadelphia will be to those big snow totals. Right now, the heaviest snow is expected to fall right along the South Jersey coastline and up toward southeast Massachusetts and Cape Cod. It’s these areas that could pick up nearly a half foot of snow through Sunday. Farther west, only an inch or two is expected to fall along I-95.

Forecasters warn that should the storm change its path, shifting west or east, could result in a change in these snow totals. Meteorologists at FOX Weather are closely monitoring incoming computer model data to provide the most accurate forecast for this weekend’s storm around the clock.

Dangerously strong winds are expected to blast the North Carolina coastline this weekend. The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City has issued a High Wind Watch for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This includes Hatteras Island, the Northern Outer Banks, and Ocracoke Island. The watch is for 40-50 mph winds with gusts up to 65 mph starting Saturday evening into Sunday. These damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. The watch warns widespread power outages are possible and travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

Yes, you read that headline correctly. Florida could see flurries this weekend due to a rare setup that will trigger “Gulf-effect snow.” Areas from the Big Bend of Florida down to the Fort Myers/Naples region could see snowflakes.

Unusually cold air is forecast to sweep across the South and into Florida this weekend – some of the coldest the Sunshine State has felt in over 15 years. On Saturday night, lingering moisture from the nor’easter barreling up the East Coast could mix with the dangerously cold air and produce flurries or a rain/snow mix along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

This is similar to lake-effect snow, which you often hear about happening in the Great Lakes. Lake-effect snow forms when very cold Arctic air moves over warmer water. The air just above the water warms slightly, rises quickly through the colder air above, forming clouds and producing snow downwind.

In Florida, “Gulf-effect snow” can happen when frigid air rolls over the relatively warmer Gulf waters. For this to happen, there needs to be a long fetch of northwest winds picking up moisture, combined with a big enough difference between the water temperature and the cold air above. The larger the temperature difference, the faster the air rises boosting the chance of snow formation.

The FOX Forecast Centers says the chance for a rain/snow mix Saturday night is low, with only flurries possible along coastal areas. To put this in perspective, measurable snow in Florida is incredibly rare. Tampa has only recorded measurable snow twice: 0.2″ on January 19, 1977, and 0.1″ on February 13, 1899. Naples, FL, which could also see flurries, has never recorded measurable snow. While flurries have been observed in Central Florida before, accumulating snow is exceptionally difficult due to warm ground temperatures.

FOX Weather meteorologists say this weekend’s nor’easter will undergo rapid intensification, a process known as “bombogenesis.” It’s often referred to in flashy headlines as a “bomb cyclone” or you may hear experts say it’s going to “bomb out.”

But what exactly does that mean? FOX Weather explains the terminology and how it happens.

Time is running out to prepare for this weekend’s nor’easter. The exclusive FOX Weather Model shows snow starting to develop across North Carolina and Virginia as early as Friday afternoon, becoming widespread by dawn on Saturday.

While the snow will make headlines this weekend, some of the most serious impacts will come from the wind. There is growing concern that the combination of 60–70 mph onshore wind gusts, high surf, and significant beach erosion could lead to scenes reminiscent of impacts seen during the recent hurricane season, including the potential loss of additional homes.

Unlike the storms from the 2025 hurricane season, this system is expected to track very close to the coastline, allowing for near hurricane-force gusts in some coastal locations. Snow is also likely to reach areas such as Wilmington, North Carolina, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Charleston, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If the timing of the heaviest snow overlaps with the strongest winds, ground blizzard conditions could even develop, especially along the North Carolina coast.

FOX Weather’s snow forecast has 75 million Americans in the path of this weekend’s nor’easter. Snow is expected to start flying over the Appalachians on Friday and spread across the Carolinas by Saturday morning. Unlike last weekend’s historic winter storm, this one will be a coastal storm, directing its fury toward coastal areas from Georgia to Maine. At this time, the heaviest snow is expected to fall on eastern North Carolina and Virginia. As the storm moves north, it’s also predicted to drop heavy snow on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Millions of Americans are still digging out from last weekend’s historic winter storm, so the prospect of another has many on alert. Fortunately for big cities like New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston, this weekend’s nor’easter will largely miss them.

Any meteorologist will tell you that the East Coast’s biggest snowstorms come in the form of an old-fashioned nor’easter. Low pressure develops off the East Coast and charges north, spreading heavy snow to areas along the coast. This is how the heavily-populated Interstate 95 corridor gets its big snows.

So why won’t this weekend’s storm deliver blockbuster totals? Forecasters use something called the “benchmark” to help them determine whether or not the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will get walloped by heavy snow. The benchmark is the so-called “40/70 benchmark,” located at 40 degrees north latitude and 70 degrees west longitude. For reference, that’s some 80 miles south of Massachusetts’ Nantucket Island.

If cold air is sufficient over the Northeast, a low-pressure system tracking over this sweet spot has the potential to be a blockbuster snowstorm for parts of the region. Many of the major winter storms that impact Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington pass very close to the 40/70 benchmark during their journey northward off the East Coast. The famed “Blizzard of ’96” was one such example that brought heavy snow to all those major cities.

A difference of 50 miles to the left or right of that point can have a huge implication on the forecast, and that’s why uncertainty can be high even a day or two before the winter storm’s arrival. The FOX Forecast Center says computer forecast models have consistently indicated this upcoming weekend’s center of pressure will stay east of the benchmark, which means little to snow along I-95. That’s certainly welcome news to the thousands of workers still clearing streets of snow and ice across the region.

Light snow (possibly an inch) is still expected from near Boston to New York to Washington, but the storm’s worst impacts will be seen and felt across the Carolinas where the low will initially form closer to the coast.

Thousands are still without power across the South following last weekend’s historic winter storm. Crippling ice coated portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, downing trees and power lines and paralyzing the region. Restoration efforts have been hampered by the ongoing extreme cold and icy conditions throughout the region.

Hundreds of lineman and crews from across the South have answered the call to help get the lights back on in the most hard-hit areas. Data from PowerOutage.com shows remarkable improvement in the past 24 hours, but nearly 300,000 customers still don’t have electricity this morning. Crews are working around the clock to help repair damaged power poles and transmission lines in multiple states.

The FOX Forecast Center says a dangerous nor’easter will slam the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic with heavy snow starting as early as Friday. Significant snow is predicted to fall along the Piedmont to the coast, and could disrupt travel across the region. Charlotte, North Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina are expected to see 5-8 inches of snow from this potent storm, while the Outer Banks of North Carolina could get nearly a foot of snow.

Norfolk, Virginia and the Virginia Beach area could also be looking at more than a half foot of snow this weekend. Farther south, light snow is expected across North Georgia and as far south as Charleston, South Carolina.

The first weather winter alerts for the upcoming nor’easter were just issued by the National Weather Service. Winter Storm Watches now cover most of North and South Carolina, southern Virginia, part of Delaware, eastern Tennessee, and parts of North Georgia. The watches go into effect on Friday and end Sunday. NWS warns strong winds and the weight of snow on trees may down power lines and could cause power outages. Travel may become dangerous or even impossible with widespread closures and disruptions to infrastructure possible.

Read more on what a Winter Storm Watch is and means for you.

Just days after a historic winter storm swept the nation, a new storm threatens to bury parts of the East Coast in nearly a foot of snow. The FOX Forecast Center says a powerful low pressure area will form just off the coast of the Carolinas by Saturday, spinning into a dangerous nor’easter as it tracks north along the coast. This coastal storm will drop heavy snow over the Carolinas, Virginia, and coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states on its journey north across the Atlantic. And the snow won’t be the only threat. Dangerously strong winds are expected to lash the coast, kicking up huge waves, triggering coastal flooding, and eroding vulnerable beaches.

You can go back and see live updates from Wednesday’s coverage.

Click here to see the minute-by-minute updates from FOX Weather.