Thursday update: NC roads covered with snow and ice. People urged to stay home.
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What to know about cold weather & winter storms
Here’s everything to know about super cold weather and winter storms headed our way: forecasts, power outages, closings, snow cameras, winter prep, safety and more.
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Wednesday’s winter storm left many streets and roads icy and slick Thursday morning, as temperatures dipped into the lower 20s overnight.
Even interstate highways and primary routes such as U.S. 64 and U.S. 1 are partially covered with snow and ice, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. Conditions are worse north and northeast of Wake County, where the storm was more intense.
The State Highway Patrol, local police and sheriff’s departments responded to numerous crashes Wednesday.
One of the worst occurred on westbound Interstate 40 near Old N.C. 86 in Orange County, which was closed for several hours after a series of chain-reaction crashes involving more than 50 cars and trucks at about 3 p.m. One driver, 78-year-old Jerolyn Day Wilson of Burlington, was killed when a tractor-trailer truck failed to stop and hit her from behind, according to the State Highway Patrol.
The truck driver, William Crowell Kellam, 44, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and exceeding a safe speed for conditions.
The Orange County crash was among more than 1,100 collisions that the State Highway Patrol alone responded to on Wednesday. Troopers also answered another 700 calls for assistance.
Already Thursday, eastbound I-40 was closed for about three hours just after Exit 319 (N.C. 210) in Johnston County because of a crash. Earlier, parts of I-95 were closed in Johnston and Nash counties because of wrecks but have since reopened.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning and a plea late Wednesday afternoon.
“Emergency responders are overwhelmed with crashes, cars in ditches, multi-vehicle pile-ups, and sideways cars and trucks blocking the flow of traffic,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media. “Conditions deteriorated quickly and all roads (rural, secondary, and interstate) are treacherous. No matter how well your vehicle performs or how fantastic of a winter-weather driver you are, the obstacles are many and the risks are high. Please stay home if you can, drive slowly if you can’t, and bring warm clothing with you.”
The storm was expected to drop 1 to 2 inches of snow across much of the state, with up to 4 inches near Virginia and 8 inches in the northeast corner of the state.
“The winter storm has arrived in parts of our state, and we expect it will make travel treacherous across much of North Carolina throughout today, tomorrow and even into Friday,” Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins said at a press briefing late Wednesday morning.
“By the end of today, we expect many routes to be covered with snow and ice in western, central and parts of northeastern North Carolina, so please limit unnecessary travel,” Hopkins said. “This will allow our crews, law enforcement, utility workers and other public safety officials to do their work.”
NCDOT and local road crews were out Monday and Tuesday spreading a saltwater mixture on roads to try to melt snow and sleet when it hits the pavement. NCDOT crews alone spread 3.1 million gallons of brine, Hopkins said.
Crews are out with plows and spreaders and have chainsaws ready to clear trees and limbs that freezing rain may bring down. The worst icing problems are expected along U.S. 70 east of the Triangle, including around Goldsboro, Kinston and New Bern.
GoTriangle, the regional bus system, preemptively canceled all of its service on Wednesday, then did the same for Thursday, and said it would not resume until noon Friday, if conditions allow. GoRaleigh parked its buses at 6 p.m. Wednesday and will not resume service until Friday.
With schools, universities, governments and many businesses closed for the day again Thursday, traffic is much lighter than usual. But with streets and roads still covered with ice, driving is a challenge.
At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, more than two dozen departing flights are listed as canceled Thursday morning and afternoon, many by American Airlines, which also scrubbed many flights Wednesday. As always, travelers or those meeting an incoming flight are encouraged to check with their airline before heading to the airport.
In advance of the storm, the State Highway Patrol removed 273 abandoned cars and trucks from along highways to make them safer for travel and plowing, said Gov. Josh Stein. He echoed Hopkins in urging people to stay home if possible.
“It will be unsafe to travel in many parts of North Carolina,” Stein said. “So please avoid driving unless it’s necessary.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Thursday update: NC roads covered with snow and ice. People urged to stay home.."
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