Black ice will make roads treacherous through Saturday; Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the OBX

Most Outer Banks roadways will remain treacherous through at least Saturday morning, according to a Thursday update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City Office.

Some melting is expected today, but any wet roads will freeze and ice on Thursday and Friday nights, leading to dangerous driving conditions. “Black ice is very difficult to see, and makes roads slippery, especially bridges,” stated the NWS.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until noon due to black ice and remaining snow on the ground, and light freezing drizzle is possible early this morning.

“Slow down and use caution while traveling. Allow ample distance between yourself and other vehicles to avoid the risk of a collision if slippery conditions are encountered, and allow extra time to reach your destination safely,” stated the NWS.

Nearly 2,000 North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) employees and contractors have been responding to the winter storm with trucks equipped with snow plows and salt spreaders to clear roads from the Piedmont to the coast, with the hardest hit areas around Elizabeth City and the Outer Banks. Since snow began falling, NCDOT crews have spread more than 953,000 gallons of brine and another 15,000 tons of salt.

Before the winter storm arrived, NCDOT and its contractors also spread 2.8 million gallons of brine on roads. The saltwater solution helps prevent snow and ice from bonding with the road surface.

Roughly 8 inches of snow fell on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a Wednesday update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City office.

Per the NWS report, Ocracoke recorded 8.3 inches of snow on Wednesday morning, while Rodanthe recorded 8 inches. The Wright Brothers National Monument saw up to 9 inches of snow, while Buxton recorded 5.8 inches. (Snow accumulation reports varied widely on Wednesday due to wind-driven snow drifts throughout the islands.)

Dare County Schools are canceled for Thursday, Jan. 23, and all Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations remain suspended.

Dare and Hyde County offices are also closed on Thursday, according to a Wednesday afternoon update.

All Cape Hatteras National Seashore visitor facilities are closed on Thursday as well. ORV Ramps on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands also remained closed on Thursday morning, but a decision on whether to reopen is expected sometime Thursday morning.

A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is as follows:

• For information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/moreheadcity/ for general weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
• For updates regarding road conditions, visit DriveNC.gov and follow the North Carolina Department of Transportation and NCDOT NC 12 on Facebook. The Dare County Sheriff’s Office also shares local road condition updates on its Facebook page.
• To get notified of ferry delays or cancellations, sign up for text and/or email alerts via the N.C. Ferry System’s FINS system: www.ncdot.gov/fins.