National Weather Service warns of major winter storm; isolated extreme snow possible near Southport

Unidentified National Weather Service speaker said a major winter storm is likely to affect southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina late Saturday into early Sunday, bringing heavy snow, extreme cold and dangerous wind chills.

The presenter said there is a 60–80% chance of at least "major" winter-weather impacts across much of the area and highlighted model uncertainty about where narrow, intense snow bands may set up. "Somebody's gonna see that fire hose, if you will, that's gonna lead to higher snowfall totals," the speaker said, urging caution about pinpointing one town as the certain bull's-eye.

The forecaster gave expected ranges: 7–9 inches for much of the area, with the possibility of 13–16 inches in isolated pockets and a smaller bull's-eye over Southport where model output suggested higher probabilities. He said the NWS sees roughly a 10–20% chance of "extreme" impacts across the region and a 30–40% chance of extreme impacts specifically in the Southport bull's-eye, but cautioned those probabilities may shift as models update.

Coastal hazards include building seas and gale-force winds by Saturday afternoon and potential storm-force gusts offshore. The presenter warned of capsizing risks and reduced visibility at sea and said stronger marine winds could 'bleed' onto coastal counties, increasing blowing-snow hazards on land.

Wind chills were projected near or below zero at times into next week, the forecaster said, creating a risk of frostbite on exposed skin and hypothermia. Officials urged residents to avoid travel during peak conditions and to prepare for power outages and prolonged cold.

The NWS briefing emphasized model uncertainty and said exact placement of the heaviest bands will be clearer 12–18 hours before the event; the agency planned additional forecast updates and local briefings later in the day.