Bluefield, WV – Residents across the central and southern Appalachian region are being urged to prepare for dangerous cold as the National Weather Service issues a Cold Weather Advisory covering parts of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
According to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, the advisory will be in effect from 9 p.m. Monday through noon EST Tuesday, with wind chills dropping as low as 10 degrees below zero in higher elevations and exposed areas.
Impacted regions include northwest North Carolina, southwest and west-central Virginia, and southeast West Virginia. Counties under the advisory include Ashe and Watauga counties in North Carolina, along with Tazewell, Smyth, Bland, Giles, Wythe, Grayson, Craig, Alleghany, and Bath counties in Virginia, and Mercer, Summers, Monroe, and eastern Greenbrier counties in West Virginia.
Cities and communities such as Boone, West Jefferson, Wytheville, Tazewell, Bluefield, Lewisburg, Covington, Clifton Forge, Pearisburg, and White Sulphur Springs are expected to experience the coldest conditions overnight and early Tuesday.
Meteorologists warn that prolonged exposure to these temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia, particularly for those without adequate winter clothing or heating. Mountain winds will further intensify the cold, especially along ridgelines and higher elevations.
Officials urge residents to limit time outdoors, dress in layers, wear hats and gloves, and keep pets indoors. Extra caution is advised when using space heaters, and residents are reminded never to use generators or grills indoors due to carbon monoxide risks.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve after midday Tuesday, but officials stress that overnight hours pose the greatest danger.
Residents should continue to monitor local forecasts and heed all advisories as this Arctic cold settles over the region.
