Winter weather is here, but how much snow will we get?

As advertised, wintry precipitation began mid-morning on Hatteras and Ocracoke – with a mixture of sleet, snow, and a little bit of freezing rain.

By noon, roads on southern Hatteras Island were getting slippery in spots and some decks and grassy areas had a trace of snow on them.

Temperatures this afternoon were hovering near freezing on Hatteras, the north wind was blowing, and the sand was smoking across Highway 12 in Pea Island.

However, the National Weather Service in Newport, N.C., promises that the worst is yet to come.

A winter storm warning is in effect until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, and there is also a wind advisory for the area – for winds gusting above 40 mph.

The Weather Service says that a layer of warmer air aloft – above 2,000 feet — will keep much of the precipitation early tonight switching back and forth among sleet, rain, and freezing rain. 

As temperatures drop overnight, the precipitation will change over to snow with as much as 2 to 3 inches accumulating on Hatteras and Ocracoke.

The heaviest snow, according to NWS meteorologist Bob Frederick, is now expected north and west of Oregon Inlet, with perhaps 4 to 7 inches falling on the northern Outer Banks.

Dare County Emergency Management continues to monitor the weather and advises that road conditions will deteriorate as the storm approaches.  By late this afternoon, residents are asked to stay home and avoid driving if at all possible.  Although the snow and sleet are expected to end early Wednesday, roadways will remain hazardous through Friday morning. 

The gusty winds will also bring higher than normal tide levels on Hatteras and Ocracoke, though there are no coastal flood advisories.

However, Frederick cautioned that whether it’s heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain, driving conditions will become treacherous tonight and not improve tomorrow.

A gradual warming trend will start on Friday, and temperatures could be close to 60 over the weekend.

CLOSINGS

Electric Power companies on the Outer Banks are making preparations for power outages. If you lose power or other utilities, do not call 911. Use customer service numbers to report power outages.  Dominion Power: 1-866-366-4357, Tideland:  1-800-882-1001, and Cape Hatteras:  1-866-511-9862. Freezing rain is a major threat to power lines on the island – much more than snow, according to Susan Flythe, general manager of Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative.

N.C. Department of Transportation maintenance crews are ready as winter weather begins to arrive in the 14 counties making up NCDOT’s Division One in northeastern North Carolina. Maintenance crews in Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties spread salt brine on all N.C. and U.S. routes throughout the region yesterday, as well as on major secondary roads. Salt brine is a mix of salt and water used to prevent ice from forming and adhering to road surfaces. By putting down the brine in advance, the salt has had more time to adhere to the pavement before any precipitation begins, providing better protection from snow and ice.

Crews are ready in all 14 counties to plow roads and spread salt and sand where necessary. Precipitation had already begun falling this afternoon in areas closer to Hyde and Dare counties. Because the winter weather is forecast to begin this afternoon and continue overnight through tomorrow, crews will work in shifts around the clock to clear roads and make sure that they are safe for motorists. 

In addition to crews already in Division One, additional trucks and crews are mobilizing to the region from areas in the western part of the state where they are not forecasted to have a significant accumulation.

Dare County advises residents to make final preparations as soon as possible.  

For more information on weather and road conditions, go to http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/mhx/ or Http://www.darenc.com.