COLD TAKES HOLD - SOUTHERN STORM TO WATCH

THE COLDEST AIR IN OVER TWO WEEKS ARRIVED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.  THE COLD FRONT WILL SETTLE SOUTH AND PREVENT A MAJOR WINTER STORM THIS WEEKEND.

Temperatures Thursday afternoon held steady in the upper teens along with a brisk northwest wind - wind chills remained in the single digits to just below zero.  The sunshine was welcomed however clouds are returning Thursday night.

Temperatures early Friday morning will settle to around 10 above - the coldest since January 10th when the low that day fell to 6 degrees.  Clouds will thicken to an overcast for Friday and temperatures will remain cold.  Friday's high may struggle to reach the twenty degree mark.

CRIPPLING SOUTHERN SNOW AND ICE STORM

Winter storm warnings are in effect from eastern New Mexico to North Carolina and Virginia Thursday night.  A powerful - El Nino driven storm has produced damaging thunderstorms in Texas along with heavy icing and snow through Oklahoma.  Snow fall of over a foot is possible in southern Missouri - Kentucky - far northern Tennessee - Virginia and North Carolina.

The northern flank of the storm could bring snow into far southern and south central Indiana Friday night.  Stay tuned for updates on this storm track.