Mid-Atlantic mountains brace for Sandy snowstorm

Michael Winter, USA TODAY



A plow cleared wet falling snow in the mountains of West Virginia on Monday as superstorm Sandy began hitting the southern Appalachians. Mountainous areas from Maryland to Tennessee could see up to 3 feet of snow and blizzard conditions until Wednesday morning. (Photo: Robert Ray, AP)

9:45PM EDT October 29. 2012 - As Hurricane Sandy battered the Mid-Atlantic coast with rain, flooding and high winds, the inland mountains braced for a nasty snowstorm. States of emergency were declared Monday in North Carolina and West Virginia.

Winter storm warnings have been posted for the southern Appalachians, from Maryland to Tennessee, through Wednesday morning. Four to 8 inches of wet snow are expected above 2,000 to 2,500 feet, and up to a foot on mountain peaks. Wind gusts of 40 mph to 65 mph are predicted.

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue has declared a state of emergency in 24 western counties.

"People need to continue to take this storm seriously as we face flooding in the East and significant winter weather in the West," Perdue said. "I urge North Carolinians in the impacted areas to take the necessary precautions to stay safe in this storm."

Her emergency declaration also prohibits price-gouging.



Asheville city equipment is being outfitted for snow removal, a spokeswoman told the Asheville Mountain Xpress. In Boone, Watauga County, Emergency Management Director Steve Sudderth told the Associated Press that the snow was mainly sticking above 4,000 feet, where the locals are used to it. Boone gets nearly 3 feet of snowfall each winter.

"Life is good," he said.

Life's also good for the state's ski resorts.

Sugar Mountain plans to open Wednesday, the earliest in its more than 40 years, the AP says.

The mountainous areas of Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are also girding for snow.

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a stateside state of emergency and activated National Guard troop as forecasters expanded a blizzard warning to at least 14 counties, with up to 3 feet of snow possible. Flooding is expected in the eastern Panhandle.
In southeastern Kentucky, the winter storm warning was in effect in Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties.

Mid-Atlantic mountains brace for Sandy snowstorm