RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Another winter storm, known as a bomb cyclone, hit parts of Central North Carolina for the second consecutive weekend.
Several weather alerts were issued for the ABC11 viewing area, including a winter storm warning and extreme cold warning. Heavy snow fell across the Triangle and much of North Carolina.
The National Weather Service office in Raleigh warned that wind chills will drop early Monday to near zero Fahrenheit (-17 Celsius). "Snow and ice will linger, with refreezing tonight making travel hazardous," the office said Sunday on social media. "Use caution on roads and dress in warm layers."
In eastern North Carolina, James City recorded 18 inches of snow, while Swansboro recorded 17 inches, the weather service reported.
The bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system, contributed to nearly a foot of snow in and around Charlotte. The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all-time there, the NWS said.
Flight cancellations exceeded 2,800 in the U.S. on Saturday, with at least another 1,800 on Sunday, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking and data company. More than 800 of those Sunday cancellations were for flights departing from or arriving at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The storm caused an hours-long mess on Interstate 85 northeast of the city, after a crash left dozens of semitractors and other vehicles backed up into Saturday evening, according to the State Highway Patrol. More than 1,000 traffic collisions and two road deaths were reported, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said Sunday.
Last week's storm blanketed the area with ice and kept schools closed for most of the week. However, most schools had remote learning days. Business owners said they were hurt by the storm because they had to close early or couldn't open at all.
The Associated Press contributed
Governor Josh Stein addressed the state Friday to talk about the snow storm approaching.
He and all agencies within the emergency response team are tracking the storm closely and preparing just as they did last week. NCDOT noted that there were 0 storm-related fatalities throughout last week's storm.
Watch full press conference below:
Snow is expected to pile up in parts of the southern Appalachians, Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia late Friday night into Saturday as the storm rapidly strengthens offshore.
The most impactful snowfall is expected across central and eastern North Carolina and central and northeast South Carolina into southern Virginia, where 5 to 10 inches of snow are projected. Locally higher totals are possible if narrow bands of heavy snow develop.
Raleigh needs just 2.7 inches to see its biggest snowstorm since December 2018, but its predicted total is about twice that.
Wilmington could see at least 3 inches from a storm for the first time in 8 years. A total of at least 5 inches would be a first there in more than two decades.
CNN contributed to this report.
Officials say they have plenty of brine and salt ready to handle potentially dangerous conditions this weekend. However, driver fatigue is a concern, so they're encouraging a quieter day on the roads to give workers time to rest.
While some streets still have lingering ice, NCDOT Division 5 Engineer Doug McNeal said Friday that this won't interfere with cleanup efforts. The bigger challenge will be how much snow the area gets, as heavier accumulation makes clearing multi-lane roads like interstates more difficult.
NCDOT has around 135 plow trucks deployed across seven counties, along with contractor trucks, end loaders, and motor graders to support the effort.
People are being urged to stay off the roads this weekend and avoid parking on the street to help speed up clearing efforts.
Watch full briefing below:
Cumberland County has declared a state of emergency ahead of the winter storm this weekend.
All County offices and facilities will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 31, and Sunday, Feb. 1.
