Winter storm hits Central North Carolina, bringing ice and sleet

Wake County Public Schools made the decision to close campuses Monday for students at year-round and modified calendar schools.

In a voice message to students, parents, staff, and faculty, a recording read, ""Due to the impact of winter weather in our area, Monday January 26, it will be a remote instruction day for schools that are in session."

The message comes upon days of anticipation leading up the storm and as school administrators analyzed the forecast and road conditions.

Students at traditional calendar schools were already subject to a teacher workday on January 26 and therefore do not have any remote instruction required.

Students at traditional calendar schools are not expected to complete remote instruction assignments.

It's an all-hands on deck effort for transportation crews spread out across the state looking to clear heavily-trafficked areas.

Of course, much of that work happening before the storm even hit with pre-treatments.

NCDOT was out across a seven-county area, making sure to treat as many roads as possible, focusing first on those main thoroughfares.

Power outages continue to be something Duke Energy is tracking across the seven-county area.

Earlier today, Eyewitness News spoke with one Raleigh man opting to stay in a hotel due to that worry.

"Most of these hotels have some kind of backup system anyways if they have any kind of power issues. Another thing is no overhead utilities. And so we've got overhead utilities all over the neighborhood. Our tree falls down or the ice builds up, everything's gone," said Avelino Torres.

Again, state officials are urging people to remain off the roadways, both for their own safety and to allow easier access for emergency personnel and NCDOT trucks.

Much of that work happening before the storm even hit with pre-treatments.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) released numbers from winter storm-related crashes and calls for service across the state.

NCSHP says the following numbers are from 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, through 6:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25.

During that time period, troopers responded to 608 collisions and 643 calls for service.

There have been no deaths associated with the storm, NCSHP says.

It's an all-hands-on-deck effort for transportation crews - spread out across the state looking to clear heavily-trafficked areas. Of course, much of that work was happening before the storm even hit - with pre-treatments.

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Another round of sleet and freezing rain is falling tonight.

Remember, the roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, are slick and hazardous in most areas.

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through 1 p.m. on Monday, for most of Central NC and southern VA.

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