A few icy spots are lingering on roads across our area Tuesday, mainly side streets, neighborhoods and secondary roads, after last weekend's snow.
On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Stein said several deaths in North Carolina were weather-related. Three happened on state roadways in Rutherford, Robeson and Cherokee counties, according to state troopers.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Deaths were reported in other states, including in New York, where the mayor said more than a dozen deaths are blamed on the rough stretch of bitter cold weather. Four snow-related deaths were also reported in Washington, D.C.
Many school districts in our area are either closed or remote Tuesday due to lingering icy road conditions. See all closings and delays here.
Most roads clear; slick spots remain
Highways and interstates are clear around the Triangle along with most major and secondary roads. It's mainly side streets, subdivisions and parking lots that are still covered in snow and ice.
Sunshine has helped to melt much of the ice, but slick spots could persist into Tuesday morning when everything freezes again.
NCDOT spokesperson Kim Deaner spoke with WRAL News at 8 a.m. on Monday about the agency's ongoing efforts to clear the roads.
"The focus today will be the primary roads that we were unable to get to yesterday or roads that were shady, where we didn't have the sun to help get that moisture off the roads," Deaner said. "It will be our focus until they're all clear. We are on our way to you, I can guarantee that."
It's important to remember that road conditions are varied and can change quickly, so remember to reduce your speed even if a road looks clear.
The Durham County Sheriff's Office shared some tips to stay safe on the roads after a snow storm, including:
- With temperatures dropping overnight, any slush or melted snow from Sunday will refreeze. Roads that look "just wet" are likely thin sheets of ice. Use extreme caution on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas—they freeze first.
- Take the extra time to clear snow and ice from your entire vehicle—especially the roof. Flying ice sheets are dangerous projectiles on the highway, and "snow clouds" from your car can blind the drivers behind you.
- Your commute will take longer than usual. Drive slowly, increase your following distance, and keep your headlights on (but not your hazards) so others can see you.
In a Sunday morning news conference, Rhett Gerrald with the NCDOT said it could be several days before roads are in prime condition for travel.
"The message to the public at this time is please stay off the routes, please stay home," Gerrald said. "It will be several more days before we can get our routes into a condition where we feel it’s acceptable to have the public on them. We’ll be working over the next several days to make sure we can get these routes cleared."
Rhett also mentioned the NCDOT's concerns for Monday and Tuesday:
"Any type of snow or icy spots on the roads will re-freeze over night causing some hazardous conditions first thing in the morning," he said.
On Sunday afternoon, troopers reported 1,112 crashes across the state, with two of them fatal, as a result of the snowstorm.
The state Highway Patrol provided details on the three traffic fatalities:
- On Saturday, troopers responded to a collision on U.S. 74 in Rutherford County near the Ellenboro exit. An initial investigation revealed that the driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck failed to see a grader that was traveling partially in the right lane performing snow removal. The truck struck the back of the grader, causing the driver to be pinned in the vehicle. The driver was identified as Brandon Atkins, 55 of Forest City. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Others in the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The motor grader was operated by a contract snow-removal company for the NCDOT.
- On Sunday, State Highway Patrol was dispatched to a fatal single-vehicle collision. The vehicle was traveling south on a snowy lane of Interstate 95 in Robeson County when it traveled off the road, flipped and became submerged in a ditch. The vehicle was occupied only by the driver. The crash happened during a period of significant snowfall. The driver was identified as Jose Adolfo Urbina Rivera, 64, of Hampton, Virginia.
- Highway Patrol also responded to a fatal crash Sunday on N.C. 294 in Cherokee County. The vehicle had traveled off the road and overturned in a creek. The driver was identified as Robert Edward Walker, 57, of Murphy.