Record Snow Blankets the Region NWS
WILMINGTON, NC - An intense low pressure system brought 2 to 8 inches of snow to much of northeast South Carolina and southeast North Carolina late Monday night and early Tuesday. The storm developed off the Georgia coast early Monday morning, rapidly intensifying as it tracked northeast.

Precipitation began as rain across the area on Monday as temperatures hovered in the upper 30s. With temperatures expected to drop to around 32 degrees overnight, NWS forecasters knew that a mix of winter precipitation was likely, and issued a Winter Weather Advisory at 4 PM EST.

As the low moved off the South Carolina coast Monday afternoon, strong northerly winds began to usher in cold Canadian air. By Monday evening, the rain had mixed with sleet across portions of Darlington, Marlboro and Florence counties in South Carolina. By 1 AM EST, the changeover to snow had occurred at the official National Weather Service observation sites in Florence, SC and Lumberton, NC. Shortly after 4 AM EST, the rain had changed to snow at the NWS office in Wilmington, NC.

The Winter Weather Advisory was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning for Darlington, Marlboro and Florence counties at 3:34 AM EST Tuesday, with expectations of 3 to 6 inch snowfall accumulations.

As moderate to heavy snow continued, the Advisory was upgraded to a Warning for the rest of southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina with the exception of Williamsburg and Georgetown counties, where the Winter Weather Advisory remained in effect.

The snow came to an end from west to east on Tuesday, with total accumulations ranging from 2 to 4 inches along the coast to 6 to 8 inches across parts of Darlington, Florence, Dillon, Marion, Marlboro and Robeson counties. The NWS office in Wilmington measured 5 inches when all was said and done.

NWS Wilmington Homepage

Visible satellite image from 2:25 PM EST Tuesday, January 25, 2000 shows snow covering the ground over much of the area. At this time, Pender, New Hanover and eastern sections of Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties were still covered by clouds.

Snowfall Totals

Total Snowfall for January 2000, as of 1/25/00 was 6.1 inches.

WILMINGTON JANUARY SNOWFALL RECORDS (since 1871)

Greatest Amount Ever Received on Jan. 25 - 5 inches in 2000
Previous Record for Jan. 25 - Trace in 1968

Greatest Monthly Snowfall - 8.6 inches in 1912
Greatest Snowfall in any 24 hour period - 8.6 inches Jan. 13-14 1912

TOP TEN GREATEST WILMINGTON SNOWSTORMS ON RECORD

15.3 inches Dec. 22-24, 1989
12.5 inches Feb. 9-10, 1973
12.1 inches Feb. 17-18, 1896
9.8 inches Feb. 10-11, 1912
9.0 inches Feb. 23, 1901
8.6 inches Jan. 13, 1912
8.0 inches Feb. 24, 1942
7.5 inches on Dec. 20-21, 1915
6.6 inches March 1-2, 1980
6.5 inches Jan. 30, 1936