Parts of the North Carolina Piedmont saw an unusual site for April on Tuesday. Snow mixed in with a cold rain that was falling from Charotte to Greensboro. For many communities, a warm ground prevented any snow accumulation. However, a few locations had a quick burst of snow that was able to overcome the warm ground resulting in a light slushy accumulation. The Montgomery County town of Troy reported a half inch of snow Tuesday afternoon before it quickly melted.
Light snow outside of the mountains during the month of April is pretty rare. The Charlotte Airport reported a tenth of an inch of snow Tuesday. That was the first time snow has been reported in Charlotte on April 2. Weather records for the Queen City date back to 1879. The last time a tenth of inch of snow fell on any day in April in Charlotte was 1982.
The Piedmont Triad Airport in Greensboro reported just a trace of snow, but that was still the most snow ever measured at the location on April 2. While it didn't happen on the second day of the month, a trace of snow was also reported during the month of April in Greensboro as recently as 2018 and 2013.
Afternoon temperatures Tuesday also set records for the coldest highs for the date at a few locations:
- Raleigh-Durham: 40. Old record - 47 from April 2, 1915.
- Fayetteville: 43. Old record - 47 from April 2, 1965.
- Greensboro: 48. Tied old record - 48 from April 2, 1992.
Tuesday's cold and rainy weather was all due to a strengthening low pressure system off the Carolina coast, or a storm that is often called a Nor'easter.
The storm battered the Outer Banks with heavy rain and powerful winds. Cape Hatteras measured 2.23" of rain setting a rainfall record for the date. A wind gust of 57mph was reported at Hatteras. A weather site at Oregon Inlet measured a gust of 68mph.
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