‘It was terrible’: Looking back at the ice storm of 2002

CHARLOTTE — As North Carolina prepares for the winter storm moving in this weekend, Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson predicted a similar forecast back in 2002.

A major winter storm in December 2002 brought catastrophic and widespread damage to the Carolinas.

“It’s going to be a little different than the storms we are used to,” Udelson said ahead of the storm at the time.

It brought snow, sleet and freezing rain, holding the Queen City and surrounding areas under a deep freeze.

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An ice storm in December 2020 crippled the Carolinas.

About 1.5 million customers were without power, and it was the most severe ice storm on record with Duke Energy.

The weight of the ice brought a number of large trees down, sometimes crashing onto homes.

(Watch the video below: Dec. 3, 2002: Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson’s prediction on the December ice storm.)

Dec. 3, 2002: Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson’s prediction on the December ice storm.

“It was terrible. It was terrible,” a Charlotte resident said after the storm. “But that’s the price you pay when living in a neighborhood with beautiful, old historic trees.”

[TRACKING: Winter storm warning issued for Charlotte area]

Neighbors banded together to help clear out the debris from the storm and offered luxuries such as electricity, if they had them.

(Watch the video below: 1.5 million people lose power during the ice storm of 2002.)

Dec. 3, 2002: Ice Storm of 2002

It was reported at the time that “it was the worst ice storm many can remember in the Carolinas.”

The storm happened on Dec. 4-5 of 2002.

(Watch the video below: Coverage of the 2002 ice storm in Charlotte)

Coverage of the 2002 ice storm in Charlotte

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