It’s deja vu for NC road crews, though this weekend’s storm will be different
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- Heavy snow expected this weekend, testing state and local plow crews.
- Cold temperatures and buried salt could slow clearing, extending hazardous travel.
- Officials urge residents to stay home to reduce traffic and ease cleanup.
As winter storms go, this weekend’s will be quite different from the one that hit the Triangle last weekend. Little if any sleet or freezing rain. Much more snow and colder temperatures.
That doesn’t change how road crews prepare: Local and state highway departments have been putting down salt and brine in advance of the storm to help melt what hits the pavement.
But the snow and cold could affect how long it takes to clear the roads.
One thing about the two storms is similar: state and local officials are again urging people to stay put.
“Because of expected snow accumulation, cold temperatures and wind gusts, our greatest concern is unsafe travel,” Gov. Josh Stein said at a press conference Friday. “Please take a second look at your weekend plans. Stay home and off the roads during winter weather.”
Cold weather after the snow
Snow is expected to begin falling in the Triangle Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, and then come down heavy overnight into Sunday morning. Forecasters expect 3 to 7 inches but say some places could get much more.
In contrast to last weekend’s sleet and ice, the snow will be easier to plow. Drivers will push it aside and cover the pavement behind them with a mix of salt and sand to improve traction.
But persistently cold temperatures through the weekend will work against road crews. Temperatures won’t get above freezing until Monday afternoon, according to the weather service, before dropping back into the teens that night.
“Colder than normal temperatures after the storm can create its own set of problems,” said Steve Halsey, Raleigh’s assistant director of transportation. “If we’re not able to get the higher temperatures and sunshine to help us with the melting process, the snow can drag on, especially on neighborhood roads and other roads that we’re not able to treat.”
The brine and salt that crews put down before the storm may be less effective if it gets buried under several inches of snow, said Doug McNeal, NCDOT maintenance engineer for the seven-county region that includes Durham and Wake. Combined with temperatures in the teens and 20s, it could take longer to clear the roads, McNeal said.
“So much of it depends on temperature and how much material we get on the ground,” he said.
Some NCDOT crews were still working on stubborn icy spots on secondary roads left from last week’s storm, McNeal said. But most had a much-needed day off Friday before another round of 12-hour shifts this weekend.
“The biggest concern for us right now is driver fatigue,” he said.
Busier roads and highways get attention first
Both the city and NCDOT initially focus on busier roads and highways. Halsey said Raleigh works to keep open its main east-west and north-south thoroughfares, such as Six Forks Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, to provide access to interstate highways and major state routes such as U.S. 1 and U.S. 70.
Both McNeal and Halsey said it’s fortunate that both storms are happening on the weekends, when it’s easier for people to stay home.
“My advice, as it normally is, if you can stay home please do,” he said. “Give the emergency responders, the road crews and the utility companies the ability to work and work safely without a tremendous amount of traffic out on the road.”
To see the latest road conditions, go to drivenc.gov/. And if you’re wondering if your road is maintained by the state or a local government, you can find a searchable map of state-maintained roads here: www.nconemap.gov/maps/NCDOT::ncdot-state-maintained-roads/explore.
Other forms of transportation
Triangle transit systems will park their buses during the storm. Chapel Hill Transit, GoRaleigh, GoDurham and GoTriangle have announced they will be closed Saturday.
Piedmont and Carolinian passenger trains will operate a partial schedule Saturday. The Piedmont is scheduled to leave Raleigh toward Charlotte at 10 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., but the 6:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. trains are canceled. The southbound Carolinian is due into Raleigh at 6:32 p.m. on its way to Charlotte.
The morning northbound Carolinian and the 2:20 p.m. and 5 p.m. Piedmont trains are scheduled to leave Charlotte on time. The 10:45 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. Piedmont trains from Charlotte have been canceled.
At the coast, all ferries to and from Ocracoke Island have been suspended Saturday except for one early morning boat departing Ocracoke. The Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach ferry across the Neuse River has also been suspended.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 2:06 PM.
