Accumulating snow is likely Friday night through Saturday night across much of Charlotte area. The amount has yet to be decided.
National Weather Service map
UPDATE: For the latest Charlotte forecast, click: 90% chance of snow and a wind chill of 0 expected Saturday in Charlotte, NWS says.
The original Wednesday story is below.
Odds are increasing for Charlotte to see a combination of snow and dangerous cold this weekend, and the National Weather Service says the snow could be heavy.
The snow is linked to a Mid-Atlantic storm system and “several factors” remained uncertain Wednesday, but “confidence has increased, particularly across the Carolinas,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports.
Current forecasts predict a 70% chance of snow in Charlotte starting Friday evening, and it will increase to 90% after sunrise. There is a 70% chance of snow Saturday night, with a low of 14 degrees.
“Accumulating snow is likely Friday night through Saturday night across much of the area. How much snow and where the heaviest amounts fall is still to be determined,” the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
“The cold temperatures will also allow snow to efficiently stick to roads creating dangerous travel conditions. High temperatures on Saturday during the heaviest snow will likely be in the 20s, or colder, across much of the area. Another shot of very cold arctic air arrives Saturday night and sticks around through Monday morning.”
Unlike last weekend’s winter storm, this would be primarily snow, rather than a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Mecklenburg and surrounding counties have an 80% to 90% chance of seeing two inches of snow Saturday, and a 70% chance of more than four inches, forecasters say.
Among the details that remain vague are the track of the storm, timing, and snow amounts, forecasters say.
“How fast the storm strengthens will be a determining factor in the final track of the storm this weekend and whether or not it moves up the East Coast,” AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said in a news release.
A weaker or slower-strengthening storm would favor limited snow in the Carolinas, while a stronger storm would increase the risk of heavier snow, AccuWeather reports.
A high in the upper 30s on Sunday could prompt some melting, but temperatures are expected to fall to 10 degrees Sunday night.
Forecasters say the amount of snow seen in the Carolinas will depend on the track of the storm as it moves north. AccuWeather map
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 6:03 AM.
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.
