Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 8 to 9, 1997

SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN DEVELOPED ACROSS THE WESTERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS THEN SPREAD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PIEDMONT BY SUNSET, BECOMING A MAJOR ICE STORM OVERNIGHT. THE HARDEST HIT AREAS EXTENDED FROM THE WINSTON-SALEM AND GREENSBORO AREAS EAST TO NEAR BURLINGTON WHERE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SLEET FELL BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION CHANGED TO FREEZING RAIN. FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATED TO BETWEEN 1/4 TO 3/8 OF AN INCH ON TOP OF THE SLEET. THIS CAUSED MAJOR TRAVEL PROBLEMS WITH SOME ROAD CLOSURES MAINLY IN DAVIDSON, FORSYTH, AND GUILFORD COUNTIES. TWO TRAFFIC FATALITIES OCCURRED IN DAVIDSON COUNTY DURING THE EVENING OF THE 8TH. TEN THOUSAND RESIDENTS LOST POWER DURING THE STORM IN THE PIEDMONT TRIAD AREA. TEMPERATURES REMAINED IN THE 25 TO 30 DEGREE RANGE THROUGHOUT THE STORM.OVER THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN PIEDMONT FROM ALBEMARLE AND TROY NORTHEAST TO RALEIGH/DURHAM TO WARRENTON, A NARROW BAND OF MIXED FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN FELL WITH A LITTLE SLEET AT THE ONSET. TEMPERATURES REMAINED IN THE LOW TO MID 30S DURING THE EVENT, PREVENTING A MAJOR ICE STORM. THERE WERE SOME ICY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES REPORTED BUT GLAZE ACCUMULATIONS WERE LIMITED TO METALOBJECTS AND IN THE TREE TOPS. A FEW TREE LIMBS FELL MAINLY IN DURHAM AND ROXBORO WHICH CAUSED SOME POWER OUTAGES, BUT THESE PROBLEMS WERE MINOR COMPARED TO THE AREAS TO THE WEST.