Triangle road conditions improve in the sun, but black ice possible Saturday night
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Winter storm in the Triangle
From the forecast and power outages to closings, road conditions and sporting events, here’s everything you need to know about the winter storm in the Triangle.
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Updated 10:30 a.m. High temperatures are likely to reach the low 40s in the Triangle Saturday, but forecasts in the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office are warning that drivers should be aware of the threat of black ice when temperatures dip back below freezing overnight.
Saturday will be sunny and breezy, the NWS’ Raleigh office said in an early morning forecast. But by about 8 p.m., temperatures are expected to dip back below freezing and melted snow and ice will become slick again.
“Naturally there is a threat of black ice tonight, although the areal extent is still in question given breezy winds throughout the day along with sunny skies,” the forecast said.
At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, many Saturday morning flights had been canceled, but afternoon flights were mostly back on schedule. The airport recommends checking with your airline if you plan to travel this weekend.
Updated 8:30 a.m. Road conditions are improving across the Triangle and no significant crashes are being reported. Wake and Durham counties still report roads partially covered with snow and ice while Orange and Johnston counties say their roads are mostly clear.
But there are still icy patches throughout the area, so be vigilant if you have to drive before mid-day.
There is still a long list of canceled or delayed flights at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, stretching until about 10:30 a.m. Check with your airline if you plan to fly today.
Updated 10:30 p.m.: Several counties that reported clear roads earlier are now reporting roads covered with snow and ice as the storm moves from west to east. Several car crashes in icy conditions have closed portions of I-440 and I-87 in Wake County, according DriveNC.com, the online platform tracking real-time traffic.
Southbound I-87 was closed for several hours past Exit 13 (US 64 BUS) near Knightdale/Mile Marker 12. WRAL reported that multiple vehicles were involved in the crash, but that it produced only minor injuries.
The storm has also disrupted air travel. As of 10:30 p.m., some 76 flights have been canceled at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport in the last 24 hours, according to Flightaware, an aviation blog featuring real-time statistics and flight tracker links. Additional flights have been delayed.
Most cancellations and delays are earmarked for early Saturday, according to RDU’s website. Check with your airline if you’re expecting to fly out of RDU on Saturday.
Earlier this evening, all Triangle counties said their roads were clear. At 9:30 p.m., Wake and Durham counties reported that their roads were covered with snow and ice while Orange and Johnston counties said their roads were partially covered with snow and ice.
Updated at 6:15 p.m.: Triangle counties are reporting mostly clear roads at 6:15 p.m. Friday, despite a couple of hours of flurries and mixed precipitation, but there are icy spots, especially on area bridges.
No major accidents have been reported, but roads are likely to become “slick and hazardous” as the evening progresses.
A winter storm warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy mixed precipitation is expected with total snow and sleet accumulations of “up to three inches;” and ice accumulations of “up to two tenths of an inch.”
Flurries have been spotted in Apex and Cary and portions of western Raleigh.
“Plan on slippery road conditions,” the city of Raleigh says on its winter weather alert page. “The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday evening commute.”
On its Facebook page, the Raleigh Police Department is urging drivers to stay off the road “unless driving is absolutely necessary.”
Due to inclement weather, GoRaleigh will suspend the R-Line service at midnight tonight Friday, Jan. 10.
For updates on other city services and programs, go here.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 4:52 PM.
