The forecast for this weekend’s winter storm, dubbed Fern, is not entirely clear yet, but it seems certain that Western North Carolina is bound for some rough weather. Light precipitation is expected to move in Saturday and intensify Sunday.
While initial tracks indicated the storm could dump over a foot of snow in some parts of the region, newer forecasts point to less snow in favor of a large ice accumulation, which in many senses could prove more devastating. Along with making most roads untravelable for a longer period, ice accumulation can weigh down and snap branches, leading to property damage and widespread power outages.