County under winter weather advisory until 9 p.m.
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 17, 2018 9:28 AM
Full SizeWayne County remains under a winter weather advisory until 9 tonight as residents brace for possibly 1 to 2 inches of snow.
The snowfall will be heavier near the Wayne-Johnston county line, according to the National Weather Service.
Counties to the north and west of Wayne County are under a winter storm warning and could get anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of snow.
Locally, the precipitation may briefly begin as rain this morning with snow expected to develop mainly after 2 p.m.
There is an 80 percent chance of precipitation with a total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. The high temperature will be near 38 degrees.
There is a 100 percent chance of snow tonight, mainly before 11, with new snow accumulation of less than 1 inch possible. The wind chill value could be as low as 9 degrees.
Thursday is forecast to be sunny with a high near 39 and wind chill values as low as 8.
In advance of the storm, Wayne County Public Schools is closed for students and staff today.
Also, several Goldsboro meetings were canceled. They are the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course Committee, Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities and the Goldsboro Youth Council.
A low-pressure system will combine with an arctic cold front to bring snow along with very cold temperatures across the region this afternoon and evening. The snow will end this evening, but it will be followed by arctic air tonight and Thursday.
Black ice is expected on roads and walkways Thursday morning and will be possible Friday morning as well in areas where there is lingering snow.
Winter weather advisories for black ice will likely be issued in the wake of the storm, according to the National Weather Service.
Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and urged residents to stay off the roads when travel becomes dangerous.
"Unnecessary travel not only puts you at risk, but it can also put our first responders' lives at risk if you end up needing help," Cooper said. "And the more vehicles we have on the road, the tougher it is for our DOT crews to treat and clear those roads and get them open again."
The declaration also enable emergency management to assist with storm response and recovery. The declaration also triggers state law against charging excessive prices during an emergency.
Cooper also issued an executive order waiving truck weight, size and hours of service restrictions to ease movement of supplies and equipment.
Motorists are urged to go to drivenc.gov for up-to-date roadway conditions. Motorists are reminded not to call 911 or the State Highway Patrol Communication Centers for roadway conditions.
Follow NC Emergency Management and NCDOT on Facebook and Twitter for the latest storm updates. Real-time weather and road conditions, as well as winter safety tips, can be found on the free ReadyNC mobile app or online at readync.org.