It may be too late for a white Christmas, but Governor Cooper is encouraging North Carolina residents and visitors to keep an eye on the forecast due to the possibility of frozen precipitation and be careful when traveling this holiday season.
“While it doesn’t look like North Carolina will feel major impacts from this winter storm, we want everyone to keep an eye on the forecast as they travel during this busy holiday season,” said Governor Roy Cooper.
The National Weather Service is calling for a round of light wintry precipitation across the North Carolina foothills, southeast Piedmont, Sandhills region and into portions of the Coastal Plain late tonight into early Wednesday. The precipitation will likely fall as freezing rain though some snow may be mixed in. Accumulations, if any, are expected to remain very light as soil temperatures remain largely above freezing. The precipitation will end by midday Wednesday likely as a mix of rain or snow before weather clears in the afternoon.
A winter weather advisory is now in effect for the I-95 corridor of the Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain from midnight tonight to 10AM Wednesday. Light freezing rain is expected in these areas that could result in slippery conditions on elevated surfaces such as bridges and overpasses. Power outages are not anticipated at this time.
N.C. Department of Transportation crews in these areas are treating bridges and overpasses with an anti-icing mixture of salt and water. Crews across the state are closely monitoring the weather and are ready to respond if needed.
State emergency management officials are keeping in close contact with the National Weather Service and monitoring forecasts carefully for any additional winter storms that could impact North Carolina in the coming days.
State officials encourage everyone to pay attention to your local forecast. You can also follow NC Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter for more information.