Live updates on NC storm: Snow, flooding and thousands without power in Triangle

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Here’s the latest on the winter storm moving through North Carolina’s Triangle region on Monday, Jan. 3.

2:30 p.m.: Orange County testing site to remain closed

An Orange County COVID-19 testing site in Hillsborough will remain closed Monday, a spokesperson for the health department said.

The Hillsborough testing site on Mayo Street originally planned to operate on a two-hour delay, but the county said Monday afternoon it would remain closed.

Those who had an appointment Monday will be able to get tested at the same time on Tuesday, the spokesperson said.

The county’s Southern Human Services Center testing site in Chapel Hill operated as normal.

-Julian Shen-Berro

12:35 p.m.: Snow in Triangle, strong winds possible

Snow is falling in Raleigh, with flakes mostly melting as they land.

The National Weather Service said Monday that central North Carolina may see a light coating of snow on elevated or grassy surfaces, but that no significant accumulation was expected due to recent warm weather.

Icy patches and black ice may occur on roads overnight and into Tuesday morning as slush and runoff freeze, the NWS said.

A wind advisory also remained in effect for the region Monday afternoon until 4 p.m., as the NWS warned strong winds with gusts up to 45 miles per hour could blow unsecured objects or knock down tree limbs.

Here’s more on the Triangle’s weather whiplash.

-Julian Shen-Berro

10:05 a.m.: Wake County testing sites resume service, DHHS sites closed

Wake County Public Health resumed services at five COVID-19 testing sites and vaccine clinics Monday, after the sites had temporarily closed earlier that morning amid severe weather in the region.

In an update posted on Twitter, the county said residents whose appointments were impacted by the delay do not need to reschedule and can head to the sites at any time Monday.

The affected sites included the following:

• Wake County Southern Regional Center at 130 N. Judd Parkway NE in Fuquay-Varina

• Wake County Northern Regional Center at 350 E. Holding Avenue in Wake Forest

• Wake County Eastern Regional Center at 1002 Dogwood Drive in Zebulon

• Vision Church RDU Parking Lot at 5808 Departure Drive in Raleigh

• Wake County Health & Human Services Center Parking Lot at 2845 Kidd Road in Raleigh

Testing sites will remain open until 7 p.m. Monday, while vaccination clinics operate until 4 p.m., a county spokesperson said.

Appointments are required for testing, but tests are free and do not require ID or insurance, the county said.

Meanwhile, three state-operated sites in the county were closed due to the weather, officials said.

PNC Arena in Raleigh, Five County Stadium in Zebulon and The Word of God Fellowship Church in Raleigh were “closed due to winds and severe weather,” said Mako Medical, which operates the sites in partnership with the state Department of Health and Human Services.

The DHHS testing sites will reopen at 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the county spokesperson.

-Julian Shen-Berro

9:38 a.m.: Flood warning

Rivers, streams and low-lying locations are starting to flood, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service issued a flood warning for much of the Triangle and surrounding areas after 2 to 4 inches of rain soaked the area Monday morning. The warning is in effect until 3 p.m. for Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Vance and Alamance counties.

Areas around flood-prone Crabtree Creek were among those named in the warning.

-Jordan Schrader

9:30 a.m.: Orange County testing site delays service

An Orange County COVID-19 testing site in Hillsborough delayed service Monday due to the weather, a spokesperson for the health department said.

The Hillsborough testing site on Mayo Street was operating on a two-hour delay as of Monday morning, shifting the schedule to 1 p.m. through 7 p.m.

The county’s Southern Human Services Center testing site in Chapel Hill was operating as normal, the spokesperson said.

-Julian Shen-Berro

9:20 a.m.: Power outage update

The number of Duke Energy customers in the Triangle without power as of 9:20 a.m., according to the company’s website:

• 8,511 in Orange, with no estimated time of restoration.
• 6,707 in Durham, with no estimated time of restoration.
• 7,463 in Wake, with no estimated time of restoration.

-Jordan Schrader

8 a.m.: COVID-19 testing sites paused in Wake County

Wake County COVID-19 testing sites and vaccine clinics will pause temporarily Monday due to severe weather in the region, a spokesperson said.

The five Wake County Public Health sites will be closed until at least 9:30 a.m. amid the ongoing weather advisory from the National Weather Service.

The testing sites ordinarily operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The affected sites include the following:

• Wake County Southern Regional Center at 130 N. Judd Parkway NE in Fuquay-Varina

• Wake County Northern Regional Center at 350 E. Holding Avenue in Wake Forest

• Wake County Eastern Regional Center at 1002 Dogwood Drive in Zebulon

• Vision Church RDU Parking Lot at 5808 Departure Drive in Raleigh

• Wake County Health & Human Services Center Parking Lot at 2845 Kidd Road in Raleigh

State testing sites at PNC Arena in Raleigh, Five County Stadium in Zebulon, and The Word of God Fellowship Church in Raleigh had also closed Monday morning, the Wake spokesperson said.

The News & Observer has contacted the state Department of Health and Human Services for more information.

-Julian Shen-Berro

8 a.m.: Thunderstorm warning, flash flood warning

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Wake County. Parts of Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Lee and Orange counties are also included in the alert, which is scheduled to expire at 9:15 a.m. Drivers are urged to avoid flooded areas, as the conditions could be dangerous near roads, creeks and other waterways.

A severe thunderstorm warning is also in effect until 8:15 a.m. for parts of Wake, Franklin, Johnston and other counties to the east and south.

-Simone Jasper

7:30 a.m.: Power outages

Tens of thousands of people were without power in North Carolina on Monday morning as a winter storm moved through the state, according to Duke Energy’s website.

That includes thousands of Duke Energy customers in the Triangle as of 7:30 a.m.:

• 8,862 in Orange, with power expected to be restored at 5 p.m.
• 2,499 in Durham, with no estimated time of restoration.
• 8,791 in Wake, with restoration expected at 1:45 p.m.

-Jordan Schrader

This story was originally published January 3, 2022 at 7:52 AM.