NC residents deal with power outages and slick, icy roads as winter storm lingers
The hazardous weather around the Triangle is expected to end before Tuesday, but more snow could come at the end of the week, according to the National Weather Service.
The snow, ice and freezing rain of Sunday’s winter storm caused car crashes and flight cancellations around the state and left thousands of people without power Monday.
The National Weather Service warned of frequent gusts of wind up to 40 mph Monday that could cause scattered power outages from falling trees weakened by the ice. There were more than 1,000 power outages in Wake County reported Monday, one in Durham County and one in Orange County as crews worked to restore service, according to the according to the state’s power outage map.
North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives said their crews restored power to more than 20,000 members in the 24 hours following Winter Storm Izzy. The network of cooperatives serves primarily rural areas and can quickly repair and replace damaged poles and lines to restore power because they are based in the local community.
Dangerous road conditions
While the roads were mostly cleared and temperatures warmed, drivers should still be cautious of slick, icy roads and black ice on bridges and overpasses.
Two people were killed in a car accident on Interstate 95 after driving too fast for the icy road conditions in Nash County near Rocky Mount Sunday. There were no other fatal crashes in the Triangle or surrounding counties Sunday, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
But there were still plenty of accidents on the state’s roads. In Durham, a tractor-trailer slid off an overpass, falling on the highway below and blocking traffic on N.C. Highway 147 for hours. The Durham Police Department shared a photo of the truck’s trailer suspended in the air. Police spokesperson Kammie Michael said the driver was stable with injuries that did not appear life-threatening, according to the Associated Press.
Dozens of flights in and out of RDU International Airport were canceled and delayed Monday as crews worked to clear roads and runways from Sunday’s storm.
Residents in the Triangle and surrounding counties in central North Carolina should not expect the hazardous weather for the remainder of the week, according to the NWS. However, there is a 30% chance of snow on Friday.
School closings, delays
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City City Schools will be closed Tuesday for both in-person and virtual learning. It is an optional remote work day for teachers. School facilities and offices will be closed.
Orange County Schools on the traditional calendar will go to remote instruction instruction. Hillsborough Elementary, a year-round school, will be closed for students. It will be an optional remote work day for teachers. School facilities and offices will be closed.
Durham Public Schools will have a one-hour delay for specialty high schools (City of Medicine Academy, J.D. Clement Early College High, Middle College High at Durham Tech and New Tech High at Hillside). There is a one-hour delay for district staff. The school district already had scheduled a teacher workday for the rest of the schools.
Wake County Public Schools canceled all school-related activities and athletics Sunday and Monday. Tuesday already was scheduled as a teacher workday for schools on the traditional calendar and said there is no change in the schedule.
Johnston County Schools will operate under a normal schedule Tuesday.
Durham County government offices will open non-essential offices at 11 a.m.
Orange County government offices will delay opening until 10 a.m.
This story was originally published January 17, 2022 at 1:19 PM.
