Wintry weather shuts down key roads in the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains
Winter weather is shutting down heavily-trafficked roads in western North Carolina, according to transportation authorities.
Parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and U.S. Highway 441 between Tennessee and North Carolina have closed ahead of expected ice, freezing rain and snow in the region.
Citing inclement weather, officials closed U.S. 441 — which runs through the Great Smoky Mountains — in both directions between Gatlinburg and Cherokee at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The roadway expected to reopen by 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The Blue Ridge Parkway between the Great Smoky Mountains and Asheville is also closed, according to park authorities.
The National Weather Service forecast a “brief period of wintry weather, mainly freezing rain” for the western region early Tuesday, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Areas from Brevard, Asheville, Boone and Hickory are at an “elevated risk” of ice accumulation, according to the Weather Service.
Road closures in the mountains aren’t uncommon during periods of potentially hazardous weather.
Authorities halted traffic on parts of the same roadways last week when forecasters predicted up to a foot of snow for the region.
Some drivers took issue with the closures, but park officials defended their decision, the Observer reported.
“Every time we make the call to close the parkway due to winter weather, there is at least one dissenting comment like ... ‘but I have 4-wheel drive!’” the National Park Service posted. “Let’s face it, not everyone is prepared with the proper equipment or skills to drive in winter weather conditions. And roads go from bad to worse really quickly on the parkway due to elevation, aspect and grade.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Wintry weather shuts down key roads in the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains."
