>> Our meteorologists have been tracking this system for days and are monitoring the slick conditions left behind after snow, sleet, and rain fell across the region. Watch the latest forecast update below:
[LINK: Check current delays and closings]
[IMAGES: Winter weather across our area]
[CLICK HERE for Sunday's winter weather coverage]
Forecast highlights:
- A winter weather advisory is in effect for potential black ice across the region through the morning commute.
- The area still has some lingering effects, mainly on the roads
- The main concern for drivers will be black ice as any melted snow/sleet refreezes
- A State of Emergency was declared over the weekend for all 100 North Carolina counties
- Snow began falling in neighborhoods around Matthews, York County and Charlotte just after midnight Sunday, and heavier snow fell later in morning, especially north of I-85 into the mountains
- The first round of precipitation started to wind down Sunday afternoon, with a lighter round moving in Sunday night into Monday morning
- Accumulations were the highest north of Charlotte and into the mountains Sunday. Linville saw 18 inches, Taylorsville saw 17 inches, Lenoir, Valdese, Hickory and Mooresville saw 14 inches, Lawndale saw 8 inches and Lincolnton saw 7 inches.
- Charlotte had a snowfall total of 2.7 inches Sunday
- The bottom line is that this was a significant winter storm -- especially for December standards -- and will continue to create dangerous conditions in the days to come
>> Reading this story in our app? The new "Follow the Lead" feature allows you to tap the blue tag indicated with a '+' to subscribe to alerts on the very latest severe weather updates.
>> Download our WSOC-TV app and keep up with winter weather conditions wherever you go.
>> Remember, you can watch our radar anytime at home on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
[LINK: City of Charlotte winter weather information page]
[City of Charlotte's emergency plan for ice and snow removal]
[WINTER WEATHER GUIDE: What you need to know before the storm]
[WINTER WEATHER OUTLOOK: Channel 9 meteorologists prepare you for the season ahead]
[LINK: FAA real-time flight information map]
Scroll below for updates on the winter storm:
10 p.m.
Select CMS schools closed, others delayed. CLICK HERE for the list of schools closed.
7:30 p.m.
Duke Energy has 9,000 workers restoring power.
5:45 p.m.
Duke Energy says power will be restored for all customers in Mecklenburg County no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
3:30 p.m.
Duke Energy is reporting 15,000 power outages across Mecklenburg County.
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3:15 p.m.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will open on a two-hour delay on Tuesday for students and employees.
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1:40 p.m.
Caldwell County schools will be closed for students Tuesday Dec. 11, but will be an optional planning day for staff. Officials said teachers should only report to work if they can travel safely.
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1:10 p.m.
Officials announced Burke County, Iredell-Statesville and Rowan-Salisbury schools will be closed for students Tuesday, Dec. 11, but will be open for teachers as an optional workday.
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12:30 p.m.
As of 12:30 p.m., the North Carolina Emergency Management Department said the statewide power outage total is at 121,957.
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12:20 p.m.
Three horses were killed after the roof collapsed at the Sunnyside Arena near Bessemer City.
12:10 p.m.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said it is closing Stonewall Street between South Tryon Street and South Church Street because of ice falling from a building.
11:20 a.m.
CMS officials said the district will make decisions for Tuesday, Dec. 11 and make-up days as soon as possible, but as of now schools will be open.
Officials have also extended the enrollment deadline for CMS School Choice lottery eligibility from Monday, December 10 to Friday, December 14 due to the storm.
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11:00 a.m.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport officials said some flight cancellations are expected, but most airlines plan to resume full operations by noon.
Airport officials said all three of the airport's runways have reopened and crews worked throughout the night to clear the airfield and parking lots of snow.
[LINK: FAA real-time flight information map]
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10:30 a.m.
Gov. Roy Cooper held a news conference to update the public on the efforts to clear the roads and restore power to thousands across the state in the aftermath of the deadly winter storm. "Unfortunately, the snow has turned into a nightmare and tragedy for some, claiming 2 lives. We mourn them and offer their loved ones our sympathies," said Cooper.
According to Cooper, the major storm dropped a year's worth of snow in one day in some areas and the state of emergency remains in effect. He urged North Carolinians to stay vigilant and allow crews to do their job before getting back on the roads. Although the worst of the storm is over, Cooper said freezing temps Monday night could turn "wet and slushy roads into ice rinks in some places." North Carolina State Highway Patrol Col. Glenn McNeill said troopers have responded to 672 collisions and 1,571 calls for service since the storm started.
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10:22 a.m.
As of 10:22 a.m., Duke Energy reported:
- 24,654 power outages in Mecklenburg County.
- 2,386 power outages in Rowan County
- 694 power outages in Cabarrus County
- 344 power outages in Gaston County
- 343 power outages in Caldwell County
- 703 power outages in Catawba County
- 76 power outages in Cleveland County
- 3,099 power outages in Stanly County
- 481 power outages in Union County
- 3,010 power outages in Wilkes County
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9:45 a.m.
As of 9:45 a.m., the North Carolina Emergency Management Department said the statewide power outage total is at 145,558.
This number is down from 203,058, as of 5 p.m. Sunday.
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9:30 a.m.
City of Charlotte officials announced offices will be closed Monday due to weather and road conditions.
Officials said city council and business meetings are canceled and will be postponed to a later date.
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9:20 a.m.
Due to inclement weather and road conditions, the Mecklenburg County Offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 10.
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8:40 a.m.
Huntersville officials said due to inclement weather, all town offices and facilities will be closed Monday, Dec. 10.
Emergency crews urge drivers to stay clear of the roads to allow Huntersville Police, Fire Department, and publics works to work in the area.
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8:20 a.m.
The SC Emergency Management Department, on behalf of the Governor's Office, announced the following State Government offices in the Charlotte area are on inclement weather schedules Monday, Dec. 10:
- Lancaster -- Delay until 10:30 a.m.
- York -- Delay until 10:00 a.m.
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8:07 a.m.
Anson County Schools have canceled classes Monday, Dec. 10 due to inclement weather.
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7:20 a.m.
MEDIC said they responded to 83 calls for traffic accidents Sunday, compared to last Sunday's 47.
Officials said most of the calls did not result in major injuries.
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7 a.m.
Duke Energy is reporting 22,000 power outages in Mecklenburg County, which is down from 23,000 outages earlier Monday morning.
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6:45 a.m.
NCDOT spokesperson Jen Thompson spoke to Channel 9 Anchors Allison Latos and John Paul.
Thompson said NCDOT has been working all weekend with various crews and contract crews to prepare the roadways for the storm.
Thompson added NCDOT crews are started to shift gears to begin work on secondary roads. Primary roads were the primary focus on Sunday during the storm.
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6:30 a.m.
In a phone interview with Channel 9, Duke Energy spokesperson Meghan Miles said Duke Energy had restored power to more than 330,000 customers since the storm started.
Miles said one of the biggest causes of the power outages are the trees that have been knocked down.
Duke Energy said they hope to have an estimated restoration time by 5 p.m.
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6:20 a.m.
Blue Ridge Energy said they are continuing to restore power to the 169 remaining customers without power.
Officials said 55 members are affected in Ashe County, 68 in Wilke County, and 46 in Caldwell County.
Technicians said the height of the outages during the storm was at 2,269 outages.
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5:25 a.m.
CATS officials announced the LYNX Blue Line will be operating on a normal schedule Monday, Dec. 10.
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5:00 a.m.
Charlotte-Douglas Airport said flight cancellations are scheduled for Monday morning, but most airlines plan to resume normal operations by noon.
[LINK: FAA real-time flight information map]
Officials are encouraged to check with their air carrier for any cancellations or delays before heading to the airport.
[READ MORE: More than 1,000 American Airlines flights canceled due to winter weather]
The airport said two of the airport's parallel runways are open, and the third is expected to open in the next couple of hours.
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4:30 a.m.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Department reported Monday morning 56,496 power outages statewide.
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3:20 a.m.
As of 3:20 a.m. Monday, Duke Energy reported outages in Mecklenburg County dropped from 25,000 to 23,000.
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12:30 a.m.
As of 12:30 a.m. Monday, more than 25,000 Duke Energy customers in Mecklenburg County remain without power.
Other counties like Burke and Rowan have about 2,000 outages.
Duke Energy said they have around 9,000 workers making repairs.
Swath of South faces wintry mess: Snow, sleet, freezing rain
A storm spreading snow, sleet and freezing rain took aim at millions of people across a wide swath of the South, raising the threat of immobilizing snowfalls, icy roads and possible power outages.
Governors and local officials in several states declared emergencies ahead of the storm, freeing up funds and manpower to help mitigate its effect.
FOLLOW OUR TEAM ON TWITTER:
- Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson
- Meteorologist Keith Monday
- Meteorologist John Ahrens
- Meteorologist Jaclyn Shearer
- Meteorologist Tony Sadiku
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Saturday that residents in the some parts of the state should be ready for a lengthy fight with the storm, which was beginning to dump sleet and snow across its western mountain areas Saturday night.
"We're preparing for days of impact, not hours," Cooper said, urging caution. "This weekend isn't the time to head out to see the winter wonderland. Stay safe where you are. Getting out on dangerous roads could put your life at risk."
Officials have warned residents to prepare emergency kits and staff off roads in impacted areas.
"Virginians should take all necessary precautions to ensure they are prepared for winter weather storm impacts," said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
The National Weather Service said a "prolonged period of snow is expected" starting Saturday and lasting until Monday, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. Forecasters have said some mountainous areas of North Carolina could get up to 12 inches of snow or more.
>> Our team of meteorologists is tracking the system 24 hours a day, analyzing its path and the impact it will have on your neighborhood. Download our free weather app so you can be prepared and stay ahead of the storm.
Heavy rains were expected elsewhere in other parts of the South, creating possible floods in coastal areas.
North Carolina's largest electric utility, Duke Energy, has said more there could more than 500,000 power outages.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the sixth busiest airport in the country, said American Airlines would reduce its operations starting Saturday evening and scattered cancellations are expected through Monday morning. Travelers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Cancellations were reported on flights from as far as the Midwest.
Signs of a pending monster snow fall were prevalent. Traffic crews have been busy treating roads ahead of the storm. Amtrak has canceled or modified some routes because of the storm. And many hardware stores sold out of ice melt.
Winter Weather Resources:
- How and when to protect your pipes from freezing
- Winter weather watch, warning and advisory: What's the difference?
- 7 tips to keep your pets safe during winter weather
- More ideas to keep kids entertained during a storm
- Bread and milk: Why do we buy those foods before a storm?
- Snow day? 5 kid-friendly craft ideas to ward off cabin fever
- Here are 16 tips for keeping you, your pets and home safe in the cold
- Tips, warning signs for frostbite, hypothermia
- When temperatures drop, don't be thrifty with your heat
- Life hacks: How to remove snow when you don't have shovels
- 7 winter driving tips
- 5 things you won't want to leave in a freezing car
- Stay safe while driving on black ice
- What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in each state?
Officials also warned to avoid driving on the roadways as snow and ice will make the roads treacherous.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol Col. McNeill said troopers are on standby when driving conditions start to diminish through the day Saturday and into Sunday.
City officials warned residents that if they do not have to be on the road during the storm to please stay home. If you must travel, make sure your vehicle is ready:
- Completely defrost your windows before leaving
- Remove snow and ice from vehicle roofs and windows
- Make sure you have windshield washer fluid and functioning wipers
- Do not pass brine trucks or follow too closely
- Do not drive between plow trucks
WINTER WEATHER PREPS: As the Carolinas brace for a powerful winter storm, NC Gov. Roy Cooper is speaking to the public about the state's preparation plans. Watch LIVE now and turn to Channel 9 for our continuing coverage --> https://on.wsoctv.com/2KZ56ci
Posted by WSOC-TV on Saturday, December 8, 2018
To get ready for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials urge you to:
- Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first aid kit and road map
- Always keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food in your home
- Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights
- Properly vent kerosene heaters and keep electric generators outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not burn charcoal indoors
- Use a NOAA Weather Radio or monitor local news media for changing weather conditions
- Keep alternative heating sources and fire extinguishers on hand. Be sure your family knows how to use them
- Download the ReadyNC app for more winter weather preparedness information
For more winter weather preparation tips, follow North Carolina Emergency Management or South Carolina Emergency Management on Twitter.
WEATHER RESOURCES:
- Interactive Radar
- Download our weather app for Severe Weather Alerts
- Hour-by-Hour Forecast
- 7-Day Forecast
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
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