some of the highest elevations. lower elevations, 40. winter advisories from 7 o'clock this evening until 7 friday morning. this may last another 24 plus hours. we're going to have the blowing snow and icy conditions. 45 in asheville. 39 by 11. flakes flying on the north side of town by then. i'll show you the bigger changes and nice snow totals. who gets how much? find out. >> tammy: high winds brought down several trees here in the mountains causing significant damage. and thousands of people across the region still without power. >> darcel: news 13's rex hodge is live in maggie valley. rex, you've seen several trees that have fallen. >> rex: right. here in maggie valley, one of those tall pines fell on a

>> it was a terrible noise. >> rex: it was a morning wind with a bite. >> tree toppled in to the garage, on top of my car. >> rex: jane lives in a small community in maggie valley. the wind came racing along jonathan creek, snapping tree branches and literally cutting down a tall pine. >> what they tell me is it bent over the roof, cracked the roof and then it just fell. >> sound like a train coming out of maggie valley. the trees leaned over and boom, right on top of us. i don't think it was a tornado. just a big band of wind coming from the west. >> rex: the tree smashes through the garage roof. >> my car was the only one in the neighborhood parked inside to protect it and it' the only one that got hurt. >> damaged? >> yeah. >> rex: prompted her to place

the garage for safe keeping. but she's keeping everything in perspective. appreciative no one was hurt. in cherokee, four trees fell in to a home. >> it lasted about 10 seconds and we come out to see what damage was done. >> rex: trees fell on mobile homes. branches piercing through a roof. but again, in these cases, no injuries. all involved in these cases agree, that's the main thing. and jane says she has insurance. assessors were here today filling out their reports. once this weather passes by and clears, the clean up will begin. reporting live, rex hodge, news 13. >> darcel: for the latest updates on our severe weather, download our weather app. we'll help you stay on top of

search wlos in your apppp store. >> tammy: the fate of a murder defendant will soon be in the hands of the jury. o'shields shot and killed toby mathis for revenge in 2011. john, closing arguments are set to start tomorrow morning? >> john: that's right. and the prosecution has said the motive is as simple as revenge. but the prosecution contending it's far more complicated than that. an expert testified today that a stroke and ptsd took the defendant down a dark path. >> mr. o'shields' ability to think and reason were severely impaired. >> john: according to the defense, richard o'shields was incapable of planning to murder toby mathis. testified that the defendant is cognitively impaired. citing ptsd, stroke, and

son. . >> severely impaired by his ptsd and his depression causing him problems. he may not be able to think of alternative. he was having trouble thinking of the consequences. >> john: prosecutors argued that o'shields took the law in too his own hands. dr. sandsbury says the day of the gunfire, there were triggers that may have pushed o'shields over the edge. he had been doing asphalt work along the cemetery road with his brother. which the doctor believes may have been a reminder of joey's death. later he visited his son's death. and according to the defendant's, drank heavily. richard was quiet and withdrawn

shot mathis. >> he didn't talk a lot after what happened to joey, he never talked a lot at all. >> john: and a short time after the defense rested, the lights went out inside the courtroom and in the heart of downtown here. it looks like closing arguments are good to go, though, starting tomorrow. john le, news 13. >> darcel: a buncombe county woman is behind bars accused of stabbing a man. crystal hah crystal hopkins is charged. deputies say she fled the scene with three minors and was arrested a short time later. the victim's injuries were not life threatening. >> tammy: the asheville police chief gives her status report

chief tammy hooper said apd has made key improvements to the evidence room. she also says the issue with the two dozen new officers on staff. >> at different points people are curious about where we are in this process. i'm always happy to come talk to groups about that. one of the big focus for this coming year is crank up our community engagement. any opportunity i have to come talk to groups about what we're doing, i'm happy to come out and do that. >> tammy: the apd's to-do list has largely to do with a study . >> darcel: downed trees and powerlines are the biggest problem for the afternoon commute. >> tammy: jaclyn, you're seeing these problems in the foothills, mostly. >> jaclyn: right, a portion of north main street. this is right before north main turns in to 221.

within the rutherfordton city limits are out right now. if you do come in to these intersections, treat them as a four-way stop. island ford road is shut down because of flooding. high water is also reported on wilson road. numerous down trees and power lines across the county. be sure to use caution if you are heading out in this area on your afternoon commute. that's a look at your on time traffic report brought to you by debruhl's used car superstore. >> darcel: tonight in a special report, a closer look at a new law in north carolina. it adds an extra step to buying a hand gun. investigators are now required to get a mental health records check in every north carolina county an applicant has lived.

extra time. but gun enthusiasts say it infringes on their rights. >> therefore unable to buy the firearm. >> darcel: coming up tonight at 11, how this new check is affecting the process and why it still leaves holes in the system. can easily justify the value of those services in the neighborhood of a million dollars. >> tammy: mills river and henderson county battle over the cost of law enforcement. why the county manager says the town is getting a great deal. >> darcel: plus fighting the

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it's gotta be d's. >> darcel: mills,river will no longer get a dedicated law enforcement officer from henderson county starting next year. >> tammy: county commissioners have agreed to stop providing a full time deputy to the township. >> reporter: henderson county says it raised the price from about $80,000 to an amount that covers its costs about $110,000. the county says the deputy dedicated to mills river only

the rest are covered by the other deputies in the sheriff's office. county manager steve wyatt says mills river's objections caused conflict with the county. he feels the town was getting a good deal. >> well i will say to you and i said this to the town council when i met with the mayor and manager, that you've been getting the best bargain for your dollar anywhere in henderson county, or probably western north carolina. >> reporter: wyatt says mills river makes up a little less than one in ten of the total calls that comes to the sheriff's office. which he says works out to the value of about a million dollars every year. it's unclear how leaders plan to move forward now. the cost of mills river

department are between 8 to $10 million per year. i reached out to them but we were unable to get in touch. >> tammy: we were talking earlier about downed trees and stuff. >> darcel: that sun was deceptive. >> jason: it really was. here's your impact forecast. this is through friday morning. our storm index is moderate to high here for the wind threat. snow threat moderately high, especially for the mountains. the cold, the chill threat is lower. and the rain threat is pretty much at the lowest scale right now because we're not seeing much more. winter weather advisory still out. i'll show you my snow fall totals. and a huge temperature swing. stick around for all that. >> holly: coming up tomorrow morning on news 13, we continue our pregnancy week with gadgets and apps. including an outfit for your baby that is much more than just clothing. we'll give away a facial valued

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now your news 13 skywatch weather. >> jason: from severe storm mode now to winter mode. the cold side is going to give us more fits.

we're up in the black mountains over yancey county. it's still balmy, 48 degrees there at 3700 feet. you can see some of the moisture coming down earlier. some of this is a rain-snonomix. here's the radar in the last hour we've seen more blues now showing up indicating the snowfall mixing with rain. these are the balsam mountains right here right on the haywood-jackson county line. it will take a little more time to do that. same thing in mount pisgah. some rain over the nantahala mountains, macon county. elsewhere rain. and more of it. here's what you can expect temperature wise. you step out the door, 49 degrees. still have that wind south at 17 miles per hour. that puts the wind chill down to

this is a big system, folks. it really cranked up in the last 24 hours bringing tornados to the southeast and now the snows from canada all the way through the great lakes. as this storm departs, we'll still have the wind with it. around that, northwesterly winds will continue to pile up that snow. that's not relenting anytime soon. once that snow begins, a lot of it is going to continue off and on thrhrgh early friday. it's going to be a prolonged event. here are your future cast wind speeds. also, you're going to see here the future radar and satellite feature of what's to come. snow over the smokys, down through the nantahalas and the balsams. here comes that moisture overnight tonight. here's midnight in to morning, snows continue over the high country. strong west to northwest winds down in to the upstate.

clouds around lunch hour. showers off and on through tomorrow night in to the morning on friday. snow accumulating in buncombe county. this is the thinking right now. very little accumulation in asheville. maybe a couple to a tenth of an inch. burnsville, inch and a half. bryson city i think an inch and a third is pushing it. same thing for you in robbinsville. highest elevations, three easily, if not five or six. coldest in the highest elevations. 20s up in newland and boone. highs tomorrow only in the 30s for the northern mountains and farther west of asheville. same thing on friday. still breezy. a little warmer saturday. highs in the 60s for several days in a row. we'll take that. >> darcel: still to come, new research in the fight against the zika virus.

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>> tammy: a breakthrough for blind reporting a sexual assault was just launched right here in buncombe county.

asheville now offers a first of its kind. blind reporting has long been a resource for advocates, survivors and law enforcement. >> tammy: making it available online means it's easier and more immediate. >> we need to move forward and to be able to make this report for survivors that are wanting to do it without having to wait for the rape crisis center to open the next day and connect with an advocate. >> tammy: blind reporting increases the coming up at 6:00, how the system works, how you can get help, and why it's so helpful in solving crimes. >> darcel: in today's health alert, scientists from all over the world are meeting at nc state university this week in the fight against the zika virus. >> tammy: it's all because of new research to keep the virus from branching out.

with dna from anti-viral genes. when the mosquitoes produce new offspring. >> it's very hard to then outnumber them. so the alternative strategy is okay, we want to try to eradicate it but we'll try to change them so they can no longer transmit thedisease. >> darcel: it will also help prevent things like encephalitis from being transmitted to mosquitoes. news 13 is hosting the third annual live well expo next month. >> tammy: there will be more than 100 exhibitors offering free health screenings, cooking, and entertainment. >> darcel: admission is free. you can find more details at wlos.com. >> tammy: they're going bananas,

helping c >> darcel: students are on the move in buncombe county. >> tammy: being active is just one way to stay healthy. as you'll see in my never stop learning, another way is what

karambola. >> tammy: linda is telling this group of kindergartners about different fruits. the lesson is designed to teach children about healthy foods. some of them already have their favorites. >> mashed potatoes. >> tammy: mmm, those are delicious, aren't they? why are mashed potatoes you're favorite? >> because they're mushy and i put salt on them. >> tammy: anything else you want to tell me? >> no. >> tammy: and of course you can't forget the importance of staying active. the kids were told they need at least an hour of play time every day to stay healthy. the produce fairs will be held in buncombe county schools over the next two months. >> darcel: i'm sure they did not disagree with the hour of play

>> tammy: we need some play time around here. >> darcel: coming up, following the investigation in to the polk county sheriff's office evidence room. >> tammy: when the results of an audit will be filed. news 13 at 5:30 starts now. >> jason: mostly wet now. but turning mostly white at higher elevations. i'll show you when that happens. stick around. you need somebody right quick. you've got live wires everywhere. >> frank: major storms cause damage in henderson county. how severe weather there left thousands without power. blue ridge community college is thrilled for the opportunity. >> tammy: and a new manufacturing plant is bringing hundreds of jobs to henderson county. how a localob is hiring to fill those positions. now from western north carolina's news leader, this is news 13 at 5:30. >> tammy: heavy rain has been hitting the mountains and the

now we're seeing a chance of winter weather. >> frank: chief meteorologist jason boyer. >> jason: leicester carpet sales news13 sky cam network. we're at balsam gap. rain on the roads now. and i really don't expect that snow to lay on the roads much here. but it will likely on the ground first grassy surfaces and rooftops. notice blues showing up here. this is bona fide snow fall here on the balsams and higher elevations. south and west of highway 64 and 19e and 474 as well. rain showers asheville and farther to the west of those areas. snow over the high country. snow over the smokys and snow over the nantahalas already in southern macon county. elsewhere it is still rain fall.