Threat remains on Charlotte area roads as melting snow forms invisible black ice

The Charlotte region faces another round of slick and dangerous roads on Friday morning, as black ice is expected to form from melting snow.

Black ice refers to the nearly invisible thin layer of ice that can form on asphalt, causing unsuspecting drivers to skid.

“I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s important to stay off the roads unless it’s absolutely necessary to drive,” Gov. Roy Cooper said at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

“The snow is beautiful, but driving in it can be treacherous,” the governor said earlier in the day.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory from 6 p.m. Thursday until noon Friday because of the black ice threat in the Charlotte region and all of Western North Carolina.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will be closed again for all students on Friday, while an optional teacher workday starts at 10 a.m. All evening events on Friday are likewise canceled, as well as athletic activities and Community Use of School events.

Although some main roads appear to be clear after Wednesday’s snowstorm, many neighborhood and access roads are not, CMS said, and subfreezing temperatures were expected overnight.

Cooper on Thursday reported the first possibly storm-related death: A 26-year-old driver from Plymouth whose car veered off a snow-covered road and overturned in a canal in rural Washington County.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to 265 wrecks on Wednesday, “far more” than on an average day, CMPD said. Officers responded to about 80 wrecks by 5 p.m. Thursday, compared with 135 in the same period Wednesday.

The State Highway Patrol reported investigating 2,700 wrecks from Tuesday night through 3 p.m. Thursday and more than 4,220 service calls, many after daybreak on Thursday

Delays in Charlotte trash collection continued on Thursday because of the storm and Monday’s MLK Jr. holiday. Leave garbage and recycling carts curbside until collection occurs, the city advised. Yard waste and bulky item collection is suspended.

Duke Energy reported virtually no outages across the state on Thursday night, down from about 10,300 on Thursday morning and 36,500 at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Many Carolinians still managed to have fun despite the icy roads and other threats from the subfreezing weather.

Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano and his son built a snowman 9 or 10 feet tall topped with a Panthers ski cap.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles started a social media Snow Angel Challenge. Among those to respond was a CMPD officer with a video showing him flapping his arms in the snow. Kristin Cooper, the governor’s wife, also tweeted a video of herself as a snow angel. “How’s my form?” she asked.

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Threat remains on Charlotte area roads as melting snow forms invisible black ice."