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
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Monday for all central North Carolina.
Any remaining snow and ice has frozen in well below freezing temperatures this morning. It will be late morning before any melting begins.
Roads, bridges and overpasses will be slick and hazardous.
Crews have been working around the clock to make sure major roads are cleared.
The major interstates, I-95, I-85, and I-40, look good, but it's the secondary roads and the neighborhood roads that are still covered in snow and ice.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation said that in some spots, it could be days before secondary roads are cleared.
ABC11 spoke with one driver who ventured out Sunday night.
"I couldn't move the truck, and I had to go back in reverse, and traffic being traffic, I got three people behind me all waiting," said Nicholas Cruz of Raleigh. "I'm like, please just go around. I have to back up to get traction so that I can go again to get in my apartment complex ... for the love of God, increase your following distance."
The concerns continue as we're facing refreezing and the potential for black ice.
If you have to get out, take your time and, as Cruz said, increase your following distance.
Orange County Schools will be closed for students on Monday, the district said late Sunday afternoon.
All OCS schools and facilities will be closed. All athletic and after-school activities are also canceled.
There is no remote instruction for students on Monday.
OCS Transportation and Operations teams will continue to check area roads and prepare all the campuses to help schools reopen when deemed safe.
A decision for Tuesday will be announced as early as possible on Monday.
CHCCS will have a remote learning day on Monday.
Schools and offices will be closed to staffers and students.
So why not a true "snow day" instead of remote learning?
"We thought a lot about that," a district spokesperson wrote. "We do want kids to be kids and enjoy the "snow days" that a lot of adults experienced (or at least heard about!) growing up. But for this decision, we felt Saturday and Sunday were our region's "snow days", and that the best decision is to have a remote learning day. This way, we're not yet having to make disruptive changes to the school calendar later this year."
Since Monday is a remote-learning day, there will not need to be a makeup day.
No decision has been made about Tuesday.
See a full listing of closings and delays here.
Durham Public Schools will be closed on Monday for students and staff, the district announced Sunday afternoon.
All DPS facilities will be closed. All activities and events are canceled.
Essential personnel should report to work as directed by their supervisors.
"Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the safety of everyone in our community," DPS said.
See a full list of closings and delays here.
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