ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Icy road conditions have made travel nearly impossible in parts of Buncombe County as freezing rain continues to fall across Western North Carolina, prompting officials to urge residents to stay off the roads.
The Woodfin Fire Department said early Sunday that a significant layer of ice has formed on roadways throughout the Woodfin area, even where conditions may appear clear at a glance. Fire crews responding to emergency calls are encountering severe travel difficulties due to the ice.
“Please do not try to travel on the roadways during this condition,” the department said in a statement. “It will put you as well as responders at an extreme risk.”
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg said a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain remained stubbornly persistent early Sunday despite warmer air aloft. Forecasters said sleet totals were increased while expected ice accumulations were slightly reduced, though damaging ice accumulation is still likely as a frontal band of precipitation moves through later Sunday.
Forecasters warned that crippling impacts are expected across at least part of the region, particularly where ice accretion approaches or exceeds three-quarters of an inch. Widespread power outages and extremely difficult to impossible travel conditions could linger into the early part of the work week.
Precipitation has largely transitioned to rain in mountain valleys west of the Balsams, and the ice storm warning may be canceled for those areas later Sunday morning.
An ice storm warning remains in effect until 1 p.m. EST Monday, with a cold weather advisory in place from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday.
Henderson County officials declared a state of emergency as a mix of sleet and freezing rain fell overnight, with more winter precipitation expected throughout the day Sunday. Officials warned the storm could result in significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs, leading to widespread and potentially long-lasting power outages.
Roads across Henderson County are expected to remain treacherous — and likely impassable in some areas — into early next week. Officials urged residents to delay travel until conditions improve.
A non-emergency call center has been activated at 828-435-2030. An emergency shelter is now open at the Henderson County Athletics and Activities Center, located at 708 South Grove St. in Hendersonville.
As of about 2:30 a.m., the National Weather Service reported ice accumulations of around 0.15 inches from freezing rain in Fletcher in Buncombe County. In northeast Bostic, in Rutherford County, about 0.50 inches of sleet had been reported.
By 8:30 a.m., Asheville Regional Airport had about 0.23 inches of freezing rain. Cedlo in Yancey County was reporting 0.10 inches of freezing rain and 0.40 inches of sleet.
Social media reports indicate roads across the area are icy and dangerous.
Officials said they will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as the storm progresses.