Snowflakes are swirling across the most of the Triangle this afternoon, and schoolchildren are being dismissed early as a winter weather system moves across the state.
The National Weather Service predicts a varying mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain that could make roads slippery by this evening and through the weekend.
The local forecast is still iffy, and it appears that the worst of the weather will be west and north of Wake County.
Wake County schools are releasing students one hour early today because of the threat of inclement weather. Durham County schools are dismissing two hours early. Athletic events today and Saturday also are canceled.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system will release elementary schools at noon, middle schools at 12:45 p.m. and high schools at 1:30 p.m. And, Orange County schools will dismiss elementary schools at 11:20 a.m., middle schools at 12:20 p.m. and high schools at 12:45 p.m.
The National Weather Service predicts the Triangle might get an inch or less of snow after 1 p.m. today. A coating of ice and freezing rain is also possible at least through Saturday morning, possibly leading to slick roads.
Snow could fall from Wake and Franklin counties west through the Triad, which might get as much as 5 inches. And the North Carolina mountains could get a major snowstorm, more than a foot of snow.
Of course, as anyone who has spent a winter in the Triangle knows, it's often difficult to make snow predictions stick.
A slight shift in how a low pressure system tracks over central North Carolina could mean the area would get mostly rain instead of snow.
Bring on the brine
Still, Triangle and state officials are getting ready. They spent Thursday covering roads with brine that prevents pavement from icing. Several counties are also preparing to open emergency centers.
Workers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport were getting equipment ready and putting employees on standby, in case they are needed to clear snow or ice from runways or airport roads.
Under FAA regulations, crews begin runway snow removal when a half inch of wet snow or 2 inches of dry have fallen.
Officials said they could not predict whether snow would delay or cancel flights. Airlines make those decisions.
"The airport does not close," said RDU spokesman Andrew Sawyer. "Our advice for passengers is to contact their airlines for updates on their flights."
Flights canceled?
Marilyn Mondoux, a manager with Raleigh's Maupin Travel, said flight cancellations could cause major headaches during a busy travel time.
She said airlines always try to place travelers on other flights, but that can become difficult because most flights are booked.
Luckily, Mondoux said, we're not in the peak of Christmas travel yet.
"Anytime it's just before the holidays, you're going to have a domino effect," she said. "But I don't think we're going to be really in the throes of holiday travel."
The snowstorm also is expected to stay in the Southeastern United States, mostly affecting North and South Carolina and sparing major airports in the Northeast.
Weather service officials cautioned Thursday that the severity of the storm depends on the temperature.
"If the temperature is 1 degree to either side of freezing, that could mean the difference between snow and rain," said National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Strickler.
But - as the Triangle learned in 2005, when a dusting of snow caused massive traffic jams that paralyzed the city - even a few flakes have the potential to cause major upheaval.
Staff writer Bruce Siceloff contributed to this report.
