How much snow could we get Wednesday? Latest forecast for Raleigh and central NC
NOTE: Please see our latest forecast story for Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Up to 6 inches of snow, sleet and freezing rain may be on the way to parts of central and Eastern North Carolina with a winter storm expected to arrive Wednesday.
Forecasters have been increasing their estimates of accumulation amounts as the storm gets closer and have expanded the area expected to see wintry precipitation.
Ahead of the storm, Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency across North Carolina Tuesday morning and activated the Emergency Response Team, citing concerns about possible power outages and road hazards.
Where will the heaviest accumulation be?
That depends on what you’re measuring.
Snow and sleet: The National Weather Service’s winter storm watch for the area reaching from the northern Piedmont to the northern Coastal Plain says total snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 6 inches are possible, with the heaviest amounts along and north of U.S. 64, especially near the Virginia border, and from Roxboro eastward, including along Interstate 95 through the northern part of the state. The Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for counties along the Virginia border as well as in Edgecombe, Wilson and Wayne counties.
Freezing rain and ice: Up to a quarter-inch of ice accumulation (from freezing rain) is possible, forecasters say, with the highest amounts along and south of the U.S. 64 corridor. That’s mostly south and east of Raleigh, with the heaviest accumulations from the I-95 corridor south of Wilson, eastward.
Will we have power outages with the winter storm?
Power outages should be expected in areas where heavy ice accumulates, forecasters say, across much of Eastern North Carolina.
Duke Energy said Tuesday additional crews are being moved into and around the state to be ready to start repairs as needed.
When will the snow start?
Around the Triangle, snow showers could start by 11 a.m. Wednesday, forecasters say. Heavier snow should begin to fall by noon and could continue until around 9 p.m.
A few snow showers could continue until midnight, according to forecasts, and there is a small chance of some additional snow showers Thursday morning. Accumulation on Thursday should be less than a half-inch, forecasters say.
What’s the forecast for Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill?
The latest forecast shows the Triangle getting a mixture of snow and sleet, with accumulations of 1 to 3 inches by late Wednesday night.
Thursday morning could bring more snow showers but no significant additional accumulation.
Thursday will be mostly clear and cold, with a daytime high of 33 degrees, dropping to an overnight low of 16 degrees. It will be blustery, too, with sustained winds of 6 to 13 mph and gusts up to 25 mph.
Dangerous wind chills
Arctic air settling across the state will bring harsh temperatures through Saturday and that wind will make it feel even colder. Thursday night will be the coldest this week, with wind chills ranging from the single digits to the teens across the region.
Slippery conditions will persist for a few days
Forecasters say travel could be tricky from mid-day Wednesday through Thursday, and some black ice is possible Friday morning and Friday night.
Tuesday, N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins said workers had so far used more than a million gallons of brine to pre-treat hundreds of miles of highways across the state. The department also has nearly 500 trucks, plows and spreaders and 200 graders ready to remove snow and ice. Crews are staging equipment where the worst problems are expected, Hopkins said.
This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
