A winter storm watch will be in effect beginning Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The watch will cover all of central North Carolina.
While ice is not expected, NWS predicts between 5 inches and 8 inches of snow as well as wind gusts of 25-35 miles per hour. The heavy snowfall combined with the strong gusts could bring down power lines if tree limbs snap and fall.
NWS says travelers should consider changing plans, and that if travel is necessary, to take a winter storm kit along. N.C. Department of Transportation and municipal government road crews are already spreading more salt and brine even as they continue scraping off ice from this past weekend.
Extremely cold air is also expected, with the coldest temperatures to come Saturday night. The Triangle could see temperatures as low as -4 degrees.
Wake County schools will operate on a two-hour delay on Friday due to lingering ice in some areas. Breakfast will be served, and all on-campus Before School programs also will operate on a two-hour delay.
