Weather

Durham schools announce two-hour delay as snow continues to fall

A Winter Weather Advisory for areas northwest of Raleigh has been expanded to include the Triangle and surrounding areas as a wintry mix nears central North Carolina.

Posted Updated

By
Elizabeth Gardner
and
Mike Maze, WRAL meteorologists
RALEIGH, N.C. — A Winter Weather Advisory for areas northwest of Raleigh has been expanded on Monday to include the Triangle and surrounding areas as a wintry mix falls in central North Carolina.

6:30 p.m.: Durham Public Schools have announced that classes will operate on a two-hour delay Tuesday as a result of snow.

5:40 p.m.: A car appeared to have slid off the road and into a speed limit sign on Jones Dairy Road as a result of the winter weather.

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Winter Weather Advisory

5:30 p.m.: Road conditions have caused a car to collide with a power pole at Little Creek Road near Peele Road in Clayton.

WRAL meteorologist said he expects melting to begin when the snow stops falling Monday evening.

5:10 p.m.: Slushy roads have been reported across Durham while the DOT said black ice has been spotted in Johnston County, where crews are prepared to spread salt and sand if necessary. Interstate 40 and Interstate 540 remained wet, but slush is possible in spots.

4:35 p.m.: At least one accident was reported on N.C. Highway 174 at Davis Drive in Durham as the road became coated in snow. In Hillsborough, Interstate 85 was just wet because warm road temperatures were preventing accumulation.

WRAL's Brian Shrader said ground temperatures remain in the mid-40s, so anything that does stick will melt from below once snow stops falling.

Orange County officials said 18 Department of Transportation trucks and a dozen contract trucks will be out managing road conditions.

Triangle 7-day weather forecast

4:30 p.m.: The National Weather Service is reporting locally icy conditions on elevated surfaces in Johnson, Sampson and Harnett counties.

WRAL meteorologist said that ambient warmth from the ground will likely melt any snow that sticks to roadways, but black ice remains a concern overnight for some.

"I think for most of us who are going to see snow, the issues will be limited," Maze said.

4:10 p.m. Drivers are advised to use caution during the evening commute as the weather creates a slight slush on some area roadways. Some accumulation was visible on grassy surfaces in Hillsborough, but roadways were still too warm to allow snow to accumulate.

A spokesperson for Raleigh-Durham International Airport said crews are de-icing runways and planes, causing minor delays, but no flights have been canceled.

4:00 p.m.: Rain is beginning to transition to sleet and snow in the Triangle and WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said accumulation is possible if the flakes fall fast enough.

The winter weather should switch back to rain in the Triangle by about 8 p.m. and will move out of the region by about 10 p.m., Maze said, but black ice could pose a danger overnight as temperatures drop.

1:30 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper talks about preparations as winter weather is expected to move into the Triangle. A state of emergency has not been declared.

1 p.m.: If you look hard enough, you might see a snowflake mixed in with rain in Raleigh. WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner emphasizes that snowflakes probably won't be very visible until 2 or 3 p.m.

12:45 p.m.: Roads in Alamance County are covered with a light dusting of snow. Models are predicting that Raleigh could get up to 2 inches of snow, but, due to afternoon temperatures and soil conditions, Gardner said it will be harder for snow to accumulate on roads.

12:30 p.m: The National Weather Service is projecting up to two inches of snow in Orange County with a high probability of black ice Monday night and Tuesday morning. Officials are monitoring the forecast and have prepared equipment for response. “The greatest hazard this storm is likely to bring is hazardous overnight travel conditions," said Vencelin Harris, the Town’s emergency management coordinator. “Bridges and overpasses will freeze before roadways. Crews will address those areas with salt and sand as soon as conditions start to turn.”

12 p.m.: A viewer shared with WRAL a photo of the current road conditions in Greensboro. Raleigh is expected to get up to an inch of snow by mid-afternoon.

A viewer shared this photo of road conditons in Greensboro.

11:30 a.m.: As school systems across the viewing area continue to announce early dismissals, Gardner predicts that Raleigh may not see snow or sleet until mid-afternoon. Temperatures are dropping, which could potentially lead to some slick conditions during the evening commute.

11 a.m.: Snow has started falling in Roxboro.

10 a.m.: Wake County public schools will close three hours early due to potentially hazardous driving conditions. See all school closings.

When will it snow in Raleigh?

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Wake County from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Some counties northwest of Raleigh are already under an advisory, as snow has already started to fall in Virginia and in the North Carolina mountains.

According to WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner, one-half to 3" of snow/sleet accumulation will be possible in the advisory area, with Wake County and areas and east of Raleigh getting low to moderate amounts of snow and areas northwest of Raleigh near Warrenton, Oxford and Roxboro getting the most. On Sunday, only a trace amount of snow was expected in the Triangle, excluding it from the advisory, but Monday's forecast suggests that the area will get more.

Although significant accumulation (under 2 inches) still isn't expected for Raleigh, the dusting could affect the Monday evening commute in the Triangle.

"We could have a complete changeover to snow and sleet in some places during the afternoon," said Gardner. "So far, it does not look like we will have significant issues on most roads, thanks to temperatures staying above freezing and rather warm soil temperatures. A few bridges from around the Triangle north could potentially become slushy and slippery in pockets or streaks where snowfall rates are a little higher than average, and elevated surfaces like grassy areas, decks or the top of cars could develop a light coating of snow."

While areas east and south of Raleigh will see mostly rain, Gardner said the Triangle could see anywhere from a trace to half an inch of snow, mainly on grassy surfaces. The odds of Fayetteville getting more than 1 inch of snow are between 20 percent and 30 percent, while Wake County is around 40 percent and the odds of counties closer to the Virginia border seeing an inch of snow are 50 percent.

According to Gardner, any snow seen in the Triangle won't arrive until late afternoon. The morning will be mainly cloudy, chilly and rainy, with temperatures falling into the 30s for the afternoon.

Despite the low risk of accumulation, Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statement Sunday afternoon warning North Carolinians to be prepared for the winter weather.

"We don't expect tremendous impacts from this latest cold front for most of our state, but we also don't want North Carolinians to be caught off guard," Cooper said. "Given the cold, wet and messy forecast, we want everyone to watch the weather closely and heed the directions of local officials."

North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Abbott said Sunday's rain prevented crews from brining in preparation for the snow, but crews will ready to deal with any slick spots, including bridges and ramps, as the snow moves in.

Below-freezing temperatures on Monday night could cause black ice on some roadways Tuesday morning. Tuesday will be warmer, in the 50s, before temperatures drop again on Wednesday.

"The normal high for Wednesday is around 63 degrees, but highs for this Wednesday instead will be around 45 degrees," said Gardner. Luckily, it will feel like spring again by the weekend, with temperatures in the mid-60s.

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