With the threat of freezing rain in the forecast, Orange County is under a Winter Weather Advisory from 7:00 Tuesday evening through noon on Wednesday.

“Temps are going to drop through the evening, down around freezing by 9:00 or so,” says National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Ellis. “Initially that won’t cause a problem, but as precipitation starts…you’ll start to see the first impacts around midnight or so, (with) glazing on overpasses and bridges first…

“As precipitation increases after midnight, expect to start seeing travel impacts on the roadways (through) the morning commute.”

Ellis says it’s not yet clear how much precipitation is going to fall, but forecasters expect about a tenth of an inch of ice. Ellis describes the expected impact as “low to moderate” – road conditions will be treacherous, especially during the morning commute, but there shouldn’t be many power outages or downed trees.

“The worst case scenario would probably be two-tenths of an inch (of ice),” Ellis says. “The best case scenario is that the precipitation doesn’t make it as far north – and if we don’t get a lot, we could see very limited impacts with maybe just patchy ice on bridges and overpasses.”

Still, even a small amount of ice is enough to cause havoc on the roadways. “Last week in Sampson County…they had a very brief period of very light drizzle and rain, and they had 17 cars off the road within a couple hours,” Ellis says. “It doesn’t take much with the ice.”

So when will the ice go away? Ellis says it shouldn’t be long: the precipitation should end around 10:00 Wednesday morning, and temperatures will rise above freezing around then as well.

“Once the temperatures warm back up…you get cars traveling over the road (and) things heat up a little better,” Ellis says. “So we don’t anticipate impacts beyond Wednesday morning.”

Continue to check Chapelboro.com for updates on the weather, as well as any school and business closings, cancellations or delays.

Related Stories
‹
Orange County Declares State of Emergency, Urges Caution in Winter Weather
UPDATE: This article has been updated on Thursday, February 18, to most accurately reflect weather forecasts. Orange County declared a state of emergency Wednesday ahead of expected severe winter weather set to begin overnight Wednesday and Thursday morning. Orange County is one of several North Carolina counties under a winter storm warning for the coming […]
100 Million Americans Brace for More Cold, Ice and Snow
Winter weather that has overwhelmed power grids unprepared for climate change and left millions without electricity in record-breaking cold kept its grip on the nation’s midsection Wednesday. At least 20 people have died, some while struggling to find warmth inside their homes. In the Houston area, one family succumbed to carbon monoxide from car exhaust […]
Winter Storm Warning Issued for Orange County
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Orange and neighboring counties in response to projected snowfall across central North Carolina. The warning will remain in effect from Friday evening to Saturday evening, with three to five inches of snow accumulation possible in the Triangle area during that time. Kirby Saunders, the emergency management […]
Thin Glaze Of Ice Could Coat Trees Monday And Tuesday
Another dose of winter weather is on tap before spring officially arrives, but just how bad with this round be?
Cold Front To Bring Frozen Precipitation
National Weather Service Senior Forecaster Scott Sharp says once the cold front moves through the Triangle between 7:00 and 7:30 Monday morning, we should expect rain to switch to sleet at about midday.
Thawing Temperatures On Their Way
National Weather Service meteorologist Kathleen Carroll says the forecast is clear of frozen precipitation--at least in the near future--and temperatures are projected to be in the 40s Friday.
Another Dose Of Winter Weather Aiming For Triangle
Another winter storm is heading for the Triangle, but its severity is still unknown.
Cold Temperatures To Follow Wednesday Night Snow
National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Ellis says Orange County could see two to four inches of snow from this system.
Orange, Durham Schools End Week Early Due to Severe Weather Forecast
The threat of severe thunderstorms, high winds and potentially hail has the school systems in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties changing plans on Friday. Durham Public Schools announced around 10:30 a.m. they would be ending classes two hours earlier than normal because of the weather forecast, with all after-school activities being canceled as well. Due […]
Winter Weather Advisory Issued for the Triangle; 1-2 Inches of Snow Possible
Our region will be under a winter weather advisory beginning Thursday afternoon, as residents gear up for another winter storm.
›