SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Black ice expected from late this evening through Tuesday morning
Temperatures will quickly fall below freezing after sunset this evening. Lingering wet roads due to snow melt will result in black ice as the liquid re-freezes. Black ice is difficult to see. Use caution while traveling.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Frequent gusts between 30 to 40 mph can be expected today. Any trees or tree limbs weakened by ice could fall, resulting in additional scattered power outages. Unsecured objects may be blown around by these winds.
JAN 16TH 2022 – 11:30 A.M. | Randolph county woke up to a mix of sleet and snow amid 18°F temperatures this morning. At this hour NCDOT is reporting all roads, highways, and interstates in the county are covered in snow and ice and conditions will only deteriorate as the day goes on . NCDPS is only reporting one power outage in Randolph County at this time. More updates will be posted to this story as the situation changes.
JAN 16TH 2022 – 2:00 P.M. | Sustained winds measured at the Asheboro Airport have doubled over the last several hours to 20mph, with guest up to 38mph, and there has been constant sleet with occasional snow all day. Those conditions are combining to create travel conditions that NCDOT is calling ” treacherous “. DOT’s Chief Operating Officer Beau Memory, is urging people to stay home.. “Please stay home and don’t take the chance of driving, especially on icy or flooded roads.”
Despite that, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety(NCDPS) is still only reporting two outages in the county. It appears that so far the majority of the icing problem is staying to the south and east. Overall, NCDPS is reporting 82,564 outages in the state.
JAN 17th 2022 – 4:00 P.M. | Today sunny skies and warmer temperatures are helping to melt some of yesterday’s snow and ice and It appears Randolph County was spared the worst the storm had to offer.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh 24 hour Snowfall amounts ranged from 3.75 inches in the northwest part of the county to as low as 0.5 inches in the southeast of the county. Yesterday’s 2pm update showed that the majority of the icing and therefore power outages trended to the southeast, and today the snowfall map shows the worst of the snow trended northwest. Overnight power outages in Randolph County spiked at just shy of 500 outages according to NCDPS.
Most people heeded advice and stayed inside yesterday, with only an average number of accidents and stranded vehicles reported across the county. In Ramseur emergency crews responded to the Quik Chek after receiving a call about a roof collapse, which was thought to have occured due to the weight of ice and water.
Crews have been working since this morning to clear as many roadways as possible while temperatures remain above freezing. In Asheboro, most all roads were passable and highways / interstates were clear of snow and ice.
While the NWS has allowed the winter storm warning to expire, temperatures will quickly fall below freezing after sunset this evening. Combined with lingering wet roads due to snow melt forecasters say black ice will be a real danger. Randolph County also remains under a Hazardous Weather Outlook with wind guests tonight expected to reach up to 40mph. Trees or tree limbs weakened by ice could fall, resulting in additional scattered power outages. Officials are asking anyone who does not need to be out on the roads this evening or tonight to stay home.