Floridian looking for Snow Early January

[shartrax]

If I were driving from north Florida, had 4 days tops, what's the most likely destination that would get my kids to some snow? Looking to leave 01/01/09

[Foy]

Hello shartrax,
If I were on such a mission, I'd be regularly looking at the various real-time images at www.highcountrywebcams.com. Many of the cams are at and near ski mountains in the Boone/Blowing Rock/Banner Elk, NC vicinity. There, towns are at elevations between 3,500' and 4,000' and the tops of the major ski areas are over 5,000'. At 4,000' to 5,000' in northwestern NC, one experiences ambient tempratures equivalent to those found at sea level in southern Canada.

It's been an early and snowy winter so far, with the area receiving some 6-8" last week and snow having fallen for nearly 48 hours continuously since Sunday, bringing another several inches. Present conditions are no guarantee of future conditions, but given the short time-frame you have to work with, Watauga and Avery Counties, NC would seem to give you the best shot at some snow. The area is some 50 miles west of I-77 via US 421 north/west of Winston-Salem so is fairly accessible from that direction, or consider coming up US 321 from Gastonia, itself just west of Charlotte.

If skiing or snowboarding is not your family's gig, look at the snowtubing operations for a chance to do some sliding in a controlled, safe manner. My younger nieces love snowtubing up there.

Foy

[shartrax]

Thanks Foy. sounds like a great thing to do.