Weather

WINTER STORM: McCrory declares state of emergency for NC

Winter Storm Warning in place for the Charlotte

The latest on a winter storm approaching the Carolinas:

12:15 p.m. THURSDAY: The North Carolina Highway Patrol says two people have died in weather-related crashes stemming from snow that fell on central counties in advance of a bigger storm.

Sgt. Joshua Church said a 60-year-old woman was driving her car in Stokes County near her home around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday when she hit an "extremely icy" patch while driving down a hill. Church said Mary Williams lost control of her car, which went down an embankment and turned over in a creek.

In neighboring Forsyth County, Trooper B.M. Bush wrote in a preliminary report that 55-year-old Rosa McCollough-Leake was driving her car near Walkertown around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday when her car slid on an icy roadway, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck head-on.

Bush said a passenger on McCollough-Leake's car and two people in the pickup had minor injuries.

The patrol said speed didn't appear to be a factor. The patrol said both vehicles were driving well below the 45 mph speed limit.

11:43 a.m. THURSDAY: Keith Monday has the latest update on the storm's track and possible effects through Saturday.

  • CLICK TO WATCH
            

11:25 a.m. THURSDAY: The Panthers rally to be held Friday in Romare Bearden park was canceled due to weather.

10:45 a.m. THURSDAY: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency ahead of a winter storm heading to the area.

He said the Charlotte area may see several inches of snow but a major concern will be the ice.

"Our plan is to be over-prepared, but hopefully underwhelmed," McCrory said.

McCrory said people should stay off the roads when travel becomes dangerous and to remember to take care of pets.

The State Emergency Center has been activated and the North Carolina Emergency Management Director said the National Guard has been deployed to parts of the state that will be hit hard.

The Highway Patrol will work hard to make sure there are no stranded motorists during the storm.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation will mobilize almost 1,000 workers with 500 pieces of equipment to make sure the roads are safe.

McCrory said two fatal crashes were reported after winter weather hit Wednesday in the western part of the state. The crashes happened in icy and snowy conditions.

Approaching storm: A Winter Storm Warning is in place for the Charlotte region that will last through Saturday at 7 p.m. Friday will be calm, as clouds gather in the afternoon, and nothing more than a sprinkle is expected as temperatures warm into the mid-40s.

https://twitter.com/WSOCWeather/status/690106731632934912

When it arrives: The main event will start around midnight and really pick up through Friday. Charlotte can expect to see mostly a mix of sleet and freezing rain with this event. The freezing rain may accumulate to over a quarter of an inch and that could lead to power outages.

Schools impacted: Ashe, Avery and Watauga schools were closed Thursday while many others were operating on delays.

  • Click here for complete list of closures and delays.

Snow and sleet: The farther north you travel from uptown, more snow will mix with the sleet. Total sleet and snow accumulations in the mountains could reach over a foot, with 4-8 inches in the Foothills. At the tail end of the event Saturday morning, Charlotte could pick up a few inches of snow.

Panthers game: No changes for Sunday as conditions will be clear and dry for the NFC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium.

  • PRESS PLAY for the timeline of the winter storm:
            

TIMELINE: This is how the upcoming weather event will unfold, according to to Channel 9 meteorologists:

  • Rain Thursday night: Temperatures will be warm enough to support rain at the outset of this event on Thursday night. During the early hours of Friday morning, more cold air will wedge in and threaten to turn the precipitation to freezing rain.
  • Rain mixes with freezing rain early Friday: Cold air will wedge in from the north and change the rain to freezing rain. This will have to potential to accumulate during the afternoon, especially in Lake Norman and north.
  • Rain and freezing rain changes to snow Friday night into Saturday: This snow will likely accumulate as close as uptown, with significant accumulations in the north metro area on up into the mountains. Areas to the south, meanwhile, will not see as much, perhaps a dusting.

COLD WEATHER RESOURCES:

IMPACT:

  • Mountains: By far the greatest impact area. Snow, rain, freezing rain and even sleet will fall there from Thursday afternoon onward. Accumulations will be higher than a foot by Saturday morning.
  • Foothills: A major ice event. Freezing rain will fall through most of Friday. When it changes over to snow we'll have very heavy accumulations. At this point, it could be more than 6 inches.
  • Charlotte: Greatest accumulation for ice will be uptown through Lake Norman. When it changes over to snow, there could be snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches.
  • Metro south: Not as high of an impact there, although with the models trending south, freezing rain will be possible. When it changes over to snow there could be accumulations at a dusting to 1 inch.

Weather resources:

The City of Charlotte is taking the following steps to prepare for the storm:

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)

  • Charlotte Area Transit System will run a regular schedule for CATS buses, LYNX trains and CityLYNX streetcars.
  • Should conditions worsen, customers should go to the "Inclement Weather" page for the most up-to-date information. CATS will post regular updates regarding routes and its detours due to inclement weather.

Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT)

  • The Charlotte Department of Transportation started treating area bridges, culverts and selected streets with salt brine Wednesday.
  • Report icy conditions to CharMeck 311 or street maintenance at 704-336-3200. Dial 911 for emergencies or accidents.
  • Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are advised to be cautious when near trucks treating roads and to leave extra space between them and other vehicles.
  • Safe driving tips:
  • ​Clear it: Scrape windows and brush off snow, even from the roof.
  • Brake carefully: Slow down and brake early. It takes much longer to stop on ice and snow.
  • Avoid sudden actions: Sudden actions like jerking the steering wheel or slamming on the breaks can cause you to spin out and crash.
  • Pack a sack: Your safety kit should include warm gloves, flashlights, blankets, shovel, snow brush, window scraper and a bag of sand (traction aid in case you get stuck).

CMPD Animal Care & Control:

  • Take precautions to keep your pets warm, dry and safe.
  • If you are unable to bring outdoor animals inside into your heated living space but have a garage or basement, place proper bedding or straw in those areas as temperatures can drop below freezing in unheated areas.
  • CMPD Animal Care & Control has received a donation of straw to help pet owners who need assistance obtaining proper bedding and shelter for their pets. It can be obtained at the CMPD Animal Care & Control Shelter. Limit two bales of straw per owner.

CMPD Animal Care & Control – 8315 Byrum Drive Charlotte, NC 28273
Monday through Friday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Solid Waste Services

  • City Solid Waste Services is preparing for inclement weather by making alternate collection plans. These plans will be based on current weather conditions and will be communicated with the community. Should service schedules be altered, place carts at the curb per the collection schedule and leave them there until they have been collected. Collection services include garbage, recyclables, yard waste and bulky waste.
  • For more information, click here or call CharMeck 311 or 704-336-7600.

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