Snowstorm leads to extreme cold, closed schools, businesses, travel dangers in NC | Live Updates

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Last updated: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 1:53AM GMT
Second round of winter weather in Central NC

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

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Feb 04, 2026, 1:53 AM GMT

Cary keeps eye on weather, roads as services resume normal schedules

The Town of Cary delivered an update on town services days after the latest winter storm -- and the possibility of some midweek snow flurries.

The forecast for Wednesday threatens snow and sleet overnight into Thursday and is predicted to start as rain. Because there is a lot of salt and salt/sand mix already on town streets, there will be no special brining.

All Cary facilities and services are operating as scheduled. However, curbside collection remains delayed one day this week.

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Feb 03, 2026, 11:14 PM GMT

Orange County Schools says no classes on Wednesday

Orange County Schools has canceled classes for Wednesday.

It will be an optional workday for staffers.

Icy conditions are still affecting many secondary roads, OCS said.

As a reminder, Feb. 16 has been added as a student day.

More closings and delays

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Feb 03, 2026, 9:28 PM GMT

Cumberland County Schools to have remote learning Wednesday

Cumberland County Schools announced it will continue asynchronous remote learning for students on Wednesday as hazardous road conditions and ongoing cold temperatures persist.

The district's Auxiliary Services team assessed road conditions on Tuesday and found that several roads, parking lots and entryways in shaded areas were still icy.

Full list of closings and delays here.

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Feb 02, 2026, 11:04 PM GMT

GoDurham service to resume normal operations

GoDurham will operate normal service hours on Tuesday.

However, all fixed-route buses will run on designated snow routes to ensure the safety of riders and operators. GoDurham ACCESS will begin service at 10 a.m.

Buses will depart Durham Station on regular service schedules while operating on snow routes.

Riders should expect slight service delays as operations continue to be restored and road conditions are monitored.

GoDurham ACCESS service will begin at 10 a.m.

Other services resuming include GoDurham ACCESS On-Demand, GoDurham Connect, and Senior Shuttle.

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