NWS warns of black ice, freezing drizzle on Wednesday night; Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the Outer Banks

Although the snow finally tapered off on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands on Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that road conditions would remain hazardous Wednesday night due to the potential for black ice.

“A Winter Weather Advisory for black ice and patchy freezing drizzle is in effect tonight for Eastern N.C. until 10 a.m. on Thursday,” stated the NWS Newport/Morehead City office in a Wednesday afternoon update. “Any snow that melts this afternoon will quickly re-freeze after sunset, and lead to treacherous black ice on roads and bridges. The best chance for some patchy freezing drizzle is east of Highway 17 overnight.”

Dangerous road conditions may linger into the morning, as temperatures will fail to rise above freezing on Wednesday.

A Cold Weather Advisory is also in effect for the Outer Banks until 10 a.m. on Thursday. Actual temperatures will hover around 30 degrees, while minimum wind chill temperatures will remain in the teens.

Roughly 8 inches of snow fell on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a midday 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.)

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) personnel continue to clear N.C. Highway 12 and state-maintained roads, and stated in a recent update that “a platoon of plows from Rutherford County” had arrived to help clear the roadways

Dare County Schools are canceled for Thursday, Jan. 23, and all Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations remained suspended. Dare County offices will also remain closed on Thursday, according to a Wednesday afternoon update.

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

• For additional snow maps, visit https://www.weather.gov/mhx/winter.
• 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.