Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 24 to 25, 2000

This record-setting snow storm began with freezing drizzle in the early morning hours of the 24th. Road surfaces quickly froze during this time when the temperature dropped from 32 degrees to 27 degrees. Numerous traffic accidents were reported. By mid-morning, additional precipitation was advancing northward into the southern portions of central North Carolina.During the afternoon of the 24th, rain was falling across southeastern North Carolina while an area of snow was located over the southwest Piedmont to the western Sandhills. Later that evening the precipitation reached the Triangle area, beginning as mostly sleet before quickly changing to all snow. The snowfall became heavy early on the 25th with snowfall rates estimated at 4 inches per hour. A north-to-south oriented band of heavy snow remained in place over Moore, Lee, Wake, Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties for several hours. Snowfall amounts exceeded 20 inches in some locations in these counties. The western Piedmont counties recorded 8 to 12 inches of snow, while the Coastal Plain received 4 to 8 inches of snow with light icing at the end of the event. The heavy snow brought central North Carolina to a standstill. Many roads were impassable, and power outages were reported across the entire area. Statewide, an estimated 260,000 people were without power, mostly in the Sandhills. Strong, gusty winds produced snow drifts several feet high. At the Raleigh-Durham Airport, the record snowfall from one storm was set at 20.3 inches. The total cost of the storm to the state was estimated at $800 million.