Snowfall amounts from a dusting to five inches were reported across North Carolina this morning, leaving hazardous road conditions in some northern areas with greater snow accumulations.
“If conditions are still hazardous in your area, please try to stay off the roads for a few more hours,” advised Governor Roy Cooper. “Conditions are improving quickly as melting and warming is happening.”
At 10 a.m. utility companies were reporting about 16,000 customers without power statewide. That’s down from about 27,000 customers without power at about 6 a.m. The greatest concentration of outages was in counties northeast of the Triangle area, along the Virginia border. Utility crews are working to quickly restore those outages.
State transportation officials urged travelers, particularly those in north central North Carolina, to be careful as crews worked to clear snow, ice and some downed trees from many primary and secondary routes.
Crews in areas affected by the storm were out overnight and Thursday morning using snow plows and spreaders to address slick spots. State transportation officials are not reporting issues with any major highways.
Roads in the mountains and foothills, including interstates and primary and secondary routes, were open Thursday morning. Crews in the Piedmont Triad, Triangle and some northern coastal plain counties were working to clear trouble spots where snow and ice had accumulated.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported no fatalities or major incidents. Troopers advise reducing speed and increasing following distance on wet or slick roads, and clearing all the accumulated snow or ice from your vehicle before driving today. This snow can create additional hazards if it flies from your car while driving.
At least six school districts reporting closing today, and at least 13 reported delayed starts. Many other districts are conducting remote or in-person learning.
Some COVID-19 vaccination sites are delaying opening times today due to hazardous roads. Check with your local health department or medical provider before traveling to a vaccination site if you are in an area with significant snowfall.
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