Weather updates: Snow to taper overnight, icy roads a concern Friday in Charlotte
Less than one inch of Thursday’s snow is expected to accumulate in Charlotte but forecasters warn black ice could make driving dangerous Friday morning.
Snow started falling in the afternoon Thursday and slowed traffic around the evening rush hour. Weather updates from the National Weather Service showed a wintry mix hitting across most of the region with snow tapering off by midnight.
Thursday’s low of 28 degrees makes black ice likely Friday morning.
“Widespread black ice will likely develop (Thursday night) through Friday morning as temperatures fall into the teens and 20s behind the storm,” according to the NWS weather outlook.
Some areas in the Piedmont could see a few inches of snow. The mountain area in Asheville and Waynesville could see two to four inches of snow.
On Thursday afternoon, officials with N.C. Department of Transportation said road treatments would begin at night, with a focus on primary roads and interstates in attempt to keep those roads from becoming icy. NCDOT officials advised avoiding driving early Friday morning if ice is present.
“Our main concern is just freezing through the night,” said Michael Mariano, NCDOT interstate maintenance program manager, at a news conference Thursday.
A blend of brine (salt and water) with a calcium mixture can be spread on roads as a treatment to help prevent black ice. NCDOT said it had 20 trucks on standby to begin treating roads after the rain stops late Thursday. The crews will help treat main roads and interstates in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and parts of Union counties.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools dismissed school three hours early Thursday and canceled after school activities.
A winter weather advisory was issued across much of North Carolina and parts of Upstate South Carolina Thursday afternoon, in effect until midnight.
However, forecasters expect “sunny skies with breezy northerly winds” for Friday.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 5:47 AM.
