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 freezing rain and freezing drizzle were ongoing across much of the region, with icy roads already developing. Forecasters said radar trends indicate the coverage and intensity of freezing rain are expected to increase overnight, leading to worsening travel conditions into the early morning hours.
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.
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.
Officials said they will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as the storm progresses.