Mother Nature began the week in the region by blowing in some frigid weather that kept the area in the 30s during the day and near 20 overnight since Monday.

Now she’s getting serious.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington and Raleigh are calling for a winter weather advisory for many of North Carolina’s 100 counties starting Thursday and running through Saturday, but Bladen County appears to be on the fringes of that advisory — for now.

According to expectations, a “dangerous wintery mix” is being predicted for areas north of Fayetteville for Thursday night into Friday, and temperatures on Friday are predicted to be barely above freezing.

Bladen County should prepare for a heavy amount of rain throughout Friday, but conditions could worsen if temperatures drop below freezing and change things to a freezing rain. Snow flurries are expected to the north and west of Bladen County on Thursday and Friday. Additional snow showers could form in the region, primarily to the north and west, on Saturday.

Statewide, many counties have already seen brine spread on major roadways. No such precautions have been done in Bladen County, though DOT crews are on standby until the path of the severe weather is better determined.

The expected severe weather has already caused local high-school basketball games to be moved from Friday to Thursday. Further north and west of Bladen County, some school districts have postponed athletic activities altogether.

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