MOUNT MITCHELL, N.C. — It's been a soggy end to October across the Carolinas, but while most of the region was dodging the raindrops, up in the mountains of North Carolina , it was snowflakes falling instead.

Photos from Mount Mitchell early Thursday morning showed trees blanketed in their first coating of snow as meteorological winter sits just over a month away.

The National Weather Service said a cold front that's been keeping skies gloomy dropped snow levels down to about 5,000 feet Thursday morning — plenty low for Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet and its surrounding area.

But that front is finally scooting off to the north, leaving clearing skies in its wake for a drier Halloween.

It's well earned -- the NWS office based in Greenville , South Carolina said every rain gauge in their a

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