Winter Storm Could Bring First 1-Inch Snowfall In Years To Southeast Cities, Including Atlanta, Charlotte

Snow lovers in the Southeast have been starved in recent winters, but Winter Storm Cora could bring the first official inch or greater snowfall that some cities have seen in multiple years.

How official snow measurements are taken: Accumulations of snow and/or sleet make up totals that go into NOAA's historical record books. Those official observations are taken at specific locations, most often major airports.

I​t's been about three years since many cities saw at least an inch of snow. That includes Greenville, South Carolina, and Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. All of those cities have a decent chance to snap their "inchless" streaks that began in January 2022.

Huntsville, Alabama, isn't far behind with its last inch of snow in March 2022.

You can see the date and total for the last time an inch or more snow fell, along with the upcoming forecast for Friday and Friday night in the map below. Keep in mind that in some of these areas, the snow and/or sleet might mix with or change to freezing rain.

(​MORE: Cora Forecast | Map Tracker)

L​ocations in northern parts of the metro have a greater shot of seeing 1 or more inches of snow and/or sleet. However, since that's not where the official reporting site is located, it wouldn't count for the official record.

(15-min details: For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)

The s​torm track has meant more rain than wintry weather in recent years. A common storm track the past two winters is one where low-pressure systems track through the central U.S. and then near or inland from the Eastern Seaboard. That allows milder air on southerly winds into the Southeast, resulting in rainfall and even severe storms instead of snow.

W​hat's happening with Winter Storm Cora is a more favorable setup.

F​irst, arctic air is already in place, which is the first ingredient for wintry weather.

The track of the storm is also favorable, where low pressure moves from near the Gulf Coast to off the Southeast coast. That helps draw Gulf moisture into the colder air, allowing snow, sleet and freezing rain to develop.

Chris Dolce has been a senior meteorologist with weather.com for over 10 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.