Wayne County could see 2 to 4 inches of snow
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 6, 2017 9:57 AM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Department of Transportation employee Carrie Pigford checks a hose carrying brine to a tanker Thursday morning at the DOT maintenance yard on U.S. 70 West.
Portions of Wayne County could be covered by 2 to 4 inches of snow tonight into Saturday while areas south could see more rain gradually mixing with sleet and snow and possibly freezing rain.
However, National Weather Service officials this morning said "great uncertainty" still exists as to what form the precipitation will take overnight in the area.
The heaviest amount of snowfall is expected in the north and northwest areas of the county with Goldsboro possibly receiving 2 to 3 inches.
The southeastern portion of the county could get an inch or less.
The temperature is expected to drop into the upper 20s late tonight and struggle to reach freezing on Saturday.
Department of Transportation crews spread close to 22,000 gallons of brine on county roads Wednesday and another 130,000 on Thursday in advance of the storm.
"We have about finished up the brining pre-treatment," Luther Thompson, Wayne DOT supervisor, said this morning.
Crews will wrap that work up this morning then begin placing plows on the trucks, he said.
A small crew will be at the DOT maintenance yard tonight since the forecast appears to be mostly for rain and sleet, he said.
Additional personnel will come in before the expected 4 a.m. switchover to snow.
"We are just waiting now to see what happens," Thompson said. "I think that we have done all that we can."
The Wayne County landfill and convenience sites will be closed Saturday because of the storm. It will around noon today before a decision is made on the county libraries and the senior center.
That decision will not be made until after an 11:30 a.m. update from the National Weather Service, said Mel Powers, Wayne County Office of Emergency Services director.
A winter weather advisory goes into effect at 7 p.m. today for Wayne County, and portions of the Sandhills and southern coastal plain, lasting until 7 p.m. Saturday.
Central North Carolina, where more snow is expected, will be under a winter storm warning.
Rain is expected to move into the winter weather advisory area between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and may continue all evening and well into overnight, National Weather Service officials said.
Rain could mix with sleet and perhaps some snow after midnight.
Areas further to the southeast could remain as rain or briefly mix with freezing rain or sleet before changing to all snow after sunrise.
The changeover to all snow is forecast to occur around sunrise Saturday morning and ending by 5 p.m.
For Wayne County, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after 2 p.m. with a high near 46.
Tonight, there is a slight chance of rain before 8 p.m., then rain and sleet with less than a half inch of sleet accumulation possible.
There is 100 percent chance of precipitation Saturday with snow, freezing rain and sleet turning to all snow after 9 a.m.
Little or no ice accumulation is expected, but new snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches is possible.
Saturday will be breezy, with a north wind of 16 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 29 mph.
The high will be near 32 falling to around 14 Saturday night.
There is a slight chance of snow before 8 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday is expected to be sunny, but cold with a high near 32 dropping to around 10 Sunday night.