MINUTE-BY-MINUTE: Winter storm causes dangerous road conditions

QUICK HITS:

• Winter storm warning in effect from 7 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday
• Gov. Cooper authorizes State of Emergency for all NC counties
• Wintry mix to start falling Friday evening and continue overnight

The cold air picked up in the Charlotte-area Friday setting the stage for wintry precipitation to fall overnight through Saturday morning.

• VIEWER PHOTOS: System brings snow, ice to area
• IMAGES: Wintry weather arrives to the area

Did you snap any photos or take video of the snow/ice? Send them to us at share@wsoctv.com or tag us on Twitter #CLTSnow and we may feature them on air and online!

A Winter Storm Warning will go into effect at 7 p.m. on Friday as light rain or light snow starts up, and will last until 1 p.m. on Saturday.

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Below are the latest updates as the winter storm approaches:

2:45 a.m.

Snow continues from Charlotte northward. This will be a slow transition from rain/sleet switching over to snow heading further south.

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2 a.m.

The Highway Patrol urges motorists to stay off the roads.

However, a Channel 9 photographer is in StormCam and has seen quite a few vehicles braving the treacherous conditions.

If drivers do take to the roads, officials strongly recommend slowing down in these conditions.

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1 a.m.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are responding to 21 wrecks.

11 p.m.

Snow and sleet, along with a wintry mix are causing problems on the roadways in the area. Officials urge people to stay of the roads and interstates.

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10:30 p.m.

• Heaviest snow is north of Charlotte between interstates 85 and 40
• Snow threat will continue overnight and end Saturday mid-morning

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9:30 p.m.

The city is working diligently to ensure the safety of its community members as well as its employees, officials said in a statement.

“Motorists are asked to stay off the roads, if possible, because sleet and snow are expected to continue overnight and into tomorrow morning,” officials said.

Please see below for operational updates and service impacts from city departments/agencies:

Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT)

All priority streets and bridges were salt brined today, adding 10 percent calcium chloride (another form of salt) to all brine truck tanks. This allows brine to deter ice forming at much lower temperatures, remaining effective even at 20 degrees.

Crews outfitted all trucks with plows and salt spreaders, ready to start the next treatment phase when snow begins accumulating.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

The airport is continuing to monitor weather conditions.

The airport started its irregular operations plans to respond to any stranded passenger and/or terminal impacts, which includes coordination with airlines, concessions and TSA.

Airlines are reporting cancellations for later Friday night and Saturday.

Airport roadways and overpasses were treated Thursday night, and parking areas will be monitored and treated as necessary.

Conditions are subject to change and travelers are encouraged to frequently check conditions with their air carrier for any cancellations or delays, officials said.

Receive the latest Airport news by visiting cltairport.com/news or following CLT on Twitter (@CLTAirport).

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)

The CityLYNX Gold Line will end operation today at 10 p.m. Friday  Please continue to check ridetransit.org for any other service changes.

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8:30 p.m.

A major band of sleet and snow moved over the Shelby area.

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8 p.m.

No changeover from rain to snow Charlotte yet. Snow is expected in a couple hours.

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6:40 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper will give an update on the state's winter weather response at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

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5:55 p.m.

Charlotte-Douglas Airport is continuing to monitor weather conditions. Officials said airlines are reporting cancelations for later tonight and tomorrow.

If you have a flight Friday night or Saturday, please check with airlines on status of your flight before coming to the airport.

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4:55 p.m.

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport has activated its snow plan. Runway 5/23 is closed for de-icing operations. Snow teams are treating runways and taxiways in anticipation of weather.

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4:35 p.m.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has declared a State of Emergency in the state as the winter storm approaches. It allows the state to mobilize additional resources and the National Guard should they be needed in response to the impending hazardous weather.

The governor's executive order activates the Emergency Operations Plan, directing all state agencies to coordinate emergency resources if local public safety efforts request assistance.

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4:00 p.m.

City of Charlotte is reporting some impacts to service as the winter storm approaches.

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS): The streetcar will end operation at 10 p.m. Friday.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control: The shelter will be closed to the public on Saturday.

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3:40 p.m.

Steve Udelson winter storm update: An area of low pressure is bringing some light showers across the Carolinas. Steady rain will approach Charlotte closer to 5 p.m., but as colder air pushes through the rain will switch over to snow around 10 p.m. The band of heavy snow remains right on top of Charlotte. The rain/snow line will be just south of Charlotte.

The snow will wind down by noon Saturday, but the cold air will stick around through the entire weekend.

Temperatures will plunge to the teens early Sunday, which will lead to the threat of icy roads. On top of the temperature plunge, it will be windy, making it feel like single digits in Charlotte and wind chill values in the mountains could feel like 20 below zero.

Temperatures will fall back into the single digits Monday morning, and there could be the concern again for icy roads.

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3:30 p.m.

UNC Charlotte announced it will move to a Condition 1 (Reduced Operations) beginning at 5 p.m. Friday. Condition 1 means an adverse weather event or other emergency is likely to have an impact on the local area. UNC Charlotte's campus remains open, but officials said members of the University community should exercise good judgment when determining if they can travel to and from campus safely.

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3:10 p.m.

Snow has already started falling in the mountains as rain is expected to push into Charlotte closer to 5 p.m. The rain is expected to change over to snow around 10 p.m.

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2:30 p.m.

Steve Udelson's 2:30 p.m. update on the winter weather forecast

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1:15 p.m.

Outpatient clinics operated by the Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical Clinic will be closed Saturday because of the winter weather. The staff is contacting patients to reschedule appointments.

Veterans experiencing an emergency outside of the Salisbury area while outpatient clinics are closed are urged to call 911 or report to the nearest emergency department.

Current closures: 

• The Charlotte VA Health Care Center (HCC) will be closed Saturday.
• The Kernersville VA Health Care Center (HCC) will be closed Saturday.
• Salisbury VAMC Outpatient appointments and procedures are cancelled for Saturday.

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1:08 p.m.

Delta announced it is canceling 350 flights Friday because of the storm set to hit Atlanta, the home of its largest hub.

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12:40 p.m.

Iredell-Statesville Schools announce all after-school and weekend events have been canceled.

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12:19 p.m.

Emergency officials do not expect there to be many power outages with this storm, and wanted to remind residents not to call 911 to ask about weather conditions.

(Click PLAY to see how to keep you smartphone charged during a power outage)

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12:11 p.m.

In the North Carolina Mountains, ice has already begun to form on some of the peaks around Newland.

As Channel 9 traveled through Watauga and Avery counties Friday morning, not only did we see rhine ice but also areas where it snowed overnight near Blowing Rock.

School district officials say some of their bus routes can take close to two hours and they're also concerned about teenagers from the high school driving home. It has not been a bad winter in the High Country so far, and students have only had to miss one day of school.

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12:06 p.m.

At the airport, Channel 9 was seeing delays beginning at noon -- the numbers have steadily grown throughout the morning. Planes taking off are full of passengers trying to dodge the storm.

The airport has plow trucks in place and they've learned from years past how to better take care of the runway. They have sensors that detect friction. Once it goes below a certain number they will clear it off.

The deputy aviation director told Channel 9 that he expects the airport to remain open through the storm.

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12:02 p.m.

The SCDOT ran out of salt brine late Thursday night after using 45,000 gallons on local roads, and had to mix up a new batch overnight. Cities like Rock Hill, York, Fort Mill and Tega Cay have sent their trucks to be loaded up with brine that can be spread on area streets.

Channel 9 saw secondary roads covered up pretty well with the de-icer around noon.

What the SCDOT is most concerned about is a quick line of rain that could wash all their efforts away. They have also brought in extra crews from Charleston to help out.

Even if rain washes some of their work away, workers will hit the roads with sand and salt as soon as that rain turns to sleet or snow. That work will go on well into the night and early Saturday morning.

(Click PLAY for 5 severe weather hacks)

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11:55 a.m.

Rock Hill Schools announced that all school and district events after 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday night are canceled. Challenger after-school programs at elementary schools will be open today.

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11:43 a.m.

The Charlotte Fire Department is bringing in 20 extra firefighters Friday night. They are also preparing to use four extra fire engines and two extra utility trucks to reach everyone who needs help. The crews in the utility trucks will free up other firefighters to respond to more serious calls. The city's fire engines are all equipped with snow chains for their tires.

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11:25 a.m.

Winthrop will open their dorms early so students who travel to campus can get into the buildings ahead of the storm. Classes start Monday and the dorms would normally open Sunday.

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11:10 a.m.

North Carolina Department of Transportation officials say that approximately 60 employees and roughly 30 trucks will be out during the storm. Mecklenburg County officials have put down more 100,000 gallons of brine on interstates and primary routes and highways. Staging for plow trucks will begin around 6 p.m. Friday.

(Click PLAY for 5 car tricks to beat winter weather)

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10:30 a.m.

Watauga County Schools will dismiss K-8 schools at noon Friday. Watauga High School will dismiss at 1 p.m.

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9:50 a.m.

Avery County Schools will be dismissing at 11 :30 a.m. Friday.

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9:35 a.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper addressed reporters early Friday morning, and announced that he has authorized a State of Emergency for all the counties in the state.

Cooper said that officials were expecting significant snowfall across the state, and that the precipitation would start a little earlier Friday afternoon. The heavier snow is still expected to arrive overnight into Saturday morning.

[HOUR-BY-HOUR FORECAST]

The governor stressed how important it was that people stay home and off the roads.

The state Highway Patrol has been mobilized, and troopers will be looking out for abandoned vehicles on the sides of highways. They will inspect all abandoned vehicles to make sure nobody is inside.

Abandoned vehicles will be towed from the roadways and Cooper said that if your car is towed, you can visit the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website to find out where it has been towed.

[CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE STATE EMERGENCY ALERTS]

Cooper also said not to call 911 to ask about weather conditions.

He said that The Department of Transportation has placed numerous vehicles across the state and are ready in the event that snow accumulates and they need to plow the roads.

The National Guard is also ready to be deployed.

“We ask people to continue to look at the weather carefully,” Cooper said. “We are prepared to make sure you're safe. That’s the number one thing, making sure the people of North Carolina are safe. You can do that by staying home.”

(Click PLAY to watch Vicki Graf and Keith Monday's winter storm forecast update)

FRIDAY OUTLOOK: Another surge of cold air is set to arrive on Friday with temperatures highs in the low 40s for the Charlotte metro.

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It will bring some snow for the mountains, and we may see some light rain in the Charlotte area Friday evening, but as the colder air moves in, the rain will switch over to snow Friday night into Saturday.

Temperatures will be warm enough to likely preclude any travel issues Friday afternoon, but once the sun goes down travel will become slick quickly. Overnight into Saturday, the snowfall will pick up and last through midday Saturday.

Winter Storm Warning - 7 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday:

• Mecklenburg County
• Iredell County
• Catawba County
• Rowan County
• Cleveland County
• Lincoln County
• Gaston County
• Cabarrus County
• York County
• Chester County

Winter Storm Warning 7 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday:

• Chesterfield County
• Lancaster County

Winter Storm Warning 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday:

• Stanly County
• Anson County
• Richmond County

SATURDAY: The heaviest snow could start to fall around 3 a.m. Saturday. Any movement of the storm will make a difference as to how much snow we'll see.

[TRACK THE SNOW with our interactive radar]

As you head north and west of Charlotte, there won't be as much snow. As you head farther south and east, there could be higher snowfall totals.

Snow totals range from 4-6 inches, with some neighborhoods just east and south of Charlotte seeing more. Even though we will get some sun in the afternoon, travel will remain hazardous all day Saturday, with temps barely above freezing.

AFTER THE SNOW: The storm will wind down shortly after noon on Saturday. Temperatures will stay colder in the low 30s.

The roads will remain very snowy and icy into Sunday morning, especially neighborhood streets, as temperatures crash into the mid-teens. The bitter cold remains in place through Monday, and we could even see single digit temps Monday morning, leading to more travel issues.

Channel 9 is keeping you prepared for the weekend ahead, and will have special coverage starting Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. Be sure to join Eyewitness News Saturday morning for special coverage of the storm's impact overnight, and updated snow totals.

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• How to be prepared for this weekend's snow storm
• 7 tips to keep your pets safe during winter weather
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DOT trucks and MEDIC preparing for storm

The North Carolina DOT, South Carolina DOT and Charlotte DOT are out in full force, and prepping the roads as the snow started to fall Friday night.

CDOT has 32 trucks outfitted with snow plows and salt spreaders, along with 64 crew members and supporting staff. All major and minor thoroughfares, connector streets, bus routes and emergency facilities' entrances have been salt brined. Crews are also working 12-hour shifts.

CDOT said black ice is a real threat starting Sunday when the snow melts and then refreezes on roadways and sidewalks. It's asking the public to avoid any travel unless it's necessary.

SC employees and equipment:

• 1,502 maintenance employees actively involved with road operations
• 497 tons of salt
• 13 tons of sand
• 387,120 gallons of salt brine
• 272 pieces of equipment in use

In South Carolina, SCDOT continues to put done salt-brine on interstates, primary and secondary roads in York, Lancaster and Chester counties. A total of 132 employees are taking part in the anti-icing operations.

All units will begin 12-hour shifts at 7 p.m. Friday and will continue until the winter storm event is over.

Many counties in Division 11, which includes Avery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Caldwell, Wilkes, Surry and Yadkin counties, will apply de-icing chemicals ahead of the storm, including Watauga County. Others have salt on the roads remaining from last week.

“We get a lot of snow up here every year, so we know how to deal with it,” said Division 11 Maintenance Engineer Charles Reinhardt who oversees the eastern mountains. “As always, keeping the roads as safe as possible is our top priority.”

Charlotte-Mecklenburg EMS officials said they had 61 gallons of ice melt, 192 cans of windshield de-icer and 100 agency vehicles ready. MEDIC also has two new ambulances equipped with four-wheel drive. All other ambulances have tire chains to help them drive through the snow.

Paramedics are also ready to not only rescue drivers, but rush into homes.

"We'll see traumatic injuries because people will get kind of stir crazy by Saturday night," said MEDIC deputy director, Kevin Staley. "They'll try to get their paper, their mail, whatever. They hit their front steps and they're out."

MEDIC said it will be fully staffed but if extra calls for help start coming in, they are prepared to bring in extra paramedics and extra help at the call center.

Residents are also bracing for whatever this winter storm brings.

“I would say the ice scares me, so I hope that doesn't happen," Charlotte resident Ellen Hoover said.

The potential for roads to refreeze throughout the weekend and into Monday is also a big concern for officials.

The Highway Patrol is also beefing up patrols and warning drivers to stay indoors if they don't have to go out.

Local schools keeping an eye on winter weather

The upcoming winter weather has some local school districts canceling events in order to keep schools and families safe.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced Thursday night it will operate on a normal schedule Friday. But the district said as a proactive measure, it has canceled all after-school and evening activities Friday night. It also said all Community Use of School events for Saturday and Sunday are also canceled.

Union County announced all school and district activities are canceled beginning Friday night into Sunday.

In Lancaster County, all after-school activities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday have been postponed, which includes practices and any activity involving travel.

A major wrestling tournament that was scheduled for Rock Hill Schools this weekend has been canceled. Rock Hill school maintenance workers said they're prepared to tackle areas that snow plows may not be able to reach.

"They could be scraping sidewalks, applying salt, brine or sand anything to make it safer to enter the building," said Mychal Frost with the Rock Hill School District.

Airport and public transit monitoring weather

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport said it's closely monitoring weather forecasts. It said it will initiate its snow and ice control plan Friday night, which includes rotating snow teams to treat runways, taxiways ans landside areas.

The pretreatment of the airfield began Thursday night. Deicing operations are prepared to begin when requested by the airlines.

Delta, American Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines have issued a travel alert for passengers, and said people flying out of Charlotte can reschedule their flight on Friday and Saturday without any fees attached.

Delta has announced it has canceled 350 flights Friday because of the storm.

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) anticipates that buses and LYNX trains will run on a regular schedule. CATS officials said they will watch weather reports to determine if/when the streetcar will operate.

CATS will treat station platforms, park and ride lots and other CATS facilities with sand and ice-melting products, but warned that some surfaces will still be slippery.

Public inauguration events scaled back due to winter weather

The winter storm approaching North Carolina has scaled back this weekend's inauguration events for Gov. Roy Cooper and other statewide elected officials.

The anticipated snow led the official inaugural committee to cancel Saturday's swearings-in and parade and Sunday's open house at the Executive Mansion.

But smaller events are still happening Friday. A previously scheduled morning church service is on, while Cooper and council members will participate in an afternoon swearing-in ceremony at the Mansion. Cooper and several council members already have taken their official oaths.

The Junior League of Raleigh - the organizers of inaugural receptions and Saturday night's Inaugural Ball - say those events are going on as scheduled, although they could be re-evaluated based on weather conditions.

Cox Media Group