Some see 6 inches of snow

Snowfall totals varied from an inch or less in parts of Chapel Hill to close to four inches east of Interstate 95. The heaviest totals were reported east of the Triangle, in Franklin, Nash, Edgecombe and Halifax counties, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said.

"The heavier amounts were south and east of Raleigh, which is exactly what we expected," she said. "We saw about 6 inches in parts of the area, but some of those areas also saw sleet, so the totals could be a bit misleading."

Most area school systems, including Wake, Durham, Cumberland, Orange, Johnston and Chapel Hill-Carrboro, will be closed Wednesday due to slick roads.

The snow storm built in with moisture from the Carolina coast, yielding accumulation of ice and snow on Wrightsville Beach and in downtown Wilmington.

By 7 a.m., the storm had moved back offshore, but flurries could show up in spots throughout the day, Gardner said. 

Light snow was first reported in Fayetteville, Goldsboro and Roxboro just before 5 p.m. Tuesday. Flurries were seen in Wake County at about 5:30 p.m.

Once it began, snow fell quickly and stacked up on area roads despite preventative maintenance. By dawn Wednesday, even interstates showed a coating of slick snow and drivers were cautioned to stay home if possible.

Dozens of state Department of Transportation trucks from the western part of the state were loaded with salt and sand and heading to the eastern parts of the state to help with the winter storm response.