Winter Storm Diego arrived overnight, bringing several inches of snow and freezing rain to the Orange County area.

Local residents woke up to first snow of the year, excited to step outside into the winter wonderland and the first snow of the year. Officials warned residents not to hit the road, due to the amount of snow and ice that had accumulated overnight.

“Most roads look like this one,” Chris Blue tweeted, showing a picture of a road covered in snow. “A good day to stay inside and watch something on Netflix. Let the road crews work. BTW, I recommend Ozark.”

Ashley D on Twitter tweeted a picture of Southern Village in Chapel Hill overlooking 15-501. The major roadway is virtually unrecognizable with the white powder covering it.

Local authorities were quick to remind residents to stay off the roadways. With snow and freezing rain expected to continue throughout the weekend and into Monday morning, crews are working to clear roads before the work week begins anew.

Of course, the first snow of the year meant that residents were eager to get outside and explore. Perhaps the most eager ones were not residents, but their four-legged friends.

Do you have pictures of today’s winter storm. Post them on social media and tag @WCHLChapelboro for a chance to win a $25 gift card from Chapel Hill Restaurant Group.

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