Onslow County is predicted to receive at least several inches of snow through the weekend along with persistent cold temperatures and wind chills predicted at times to drop below zero.
Residents, local government officials, first responders and the N.C. Department of Transportation have worked through the last several days to prepare for the storm to ensure area residents remain safe.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for 98 of North Carolina’s 100 counties Thursday morning, including all of eastern North Carolina. The winter storm watch is in effect in Onslow County starting Friday at 10 p.m. and continuing until Sunday at 4 p.m.
An extreme cold watch has also been issued for the area, starting Sunday at 1 a.m. and continuing until 10 a.m.
The city of Jacksonville has a 90% chance of receiving more than 4 inches of snow, with snowfall predicted to exceed 1 to 2 inches per hour during the peak of the storm, according to the National Weather Service in Morehead City.
Jacksonville also has a 66% chance of receiving more than 8 inches of snow and a 44% chance of localized blizzard conditions.
Erik Heden, a meteorologist with the NWS, said snow could begin as early as Saturday morning before the sun rises and could be intermittent throughout the day. Snowfall is expected to increase in intensity Saturday evening into Sunday morning.
“Really anyone (in eastern North Carolina) can have that possibility of a foot-and-a-half of snow,” he said. “The most likely at this point, very conservative, would be in that 6 to 10-inch range.”
By Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service predicted upwards of 10.9 inches of snow through Sunday in the Jacksonville area.
Wind chills could drop as low as 4 degrees below zero early Sunday morning and as low as 1 degree below zero early Monday morning. The storm will also bring strong winds, with the city predicted to see gusts up to 37 miles per hour, the NWS reports.
Of particular concern are the continued cold temperatures through next week that could cause snow and ice to stick around.
“If we get these snowfall amounts that we’re forecasting, with cold weather, it’s going to last a long time next week,” Heden said. “So, while the falling snow is this weekend, we really want to let people know that it’s going to be a while until we get rid of the snow on the roadways.”
Impacts of the storm could include dangerous or impossible driving conditions, widespread closures and disruptions to infrastructure, including the loss of electricity.
N.C. Department of Transportation trucks were already out adding brine to area roads Thursday morning and the Onslow Water and Sewer Authority is also preparing for the storm. Brine, a liquid mixture of salt and water, is applied to roadways for anti-icing before a storm.
ONWASA officials said Thursday that crews are closely monitoring weather conditions, protecting critical infrastructure, preparing backup power systems and ensuring staff and resources are ready to safely respond when needed.
“Our crews have already been operating in freezing conditions and are continuing preparations for the possibility of winter weather this weekend,” said Franky Howard, chief executive officer of ONWASA.
“We ask customers to take a few simple steps now to help prevent plumbing issues during this extended cold period.”
Ways residents can protect their plumbing include insulating exposed pipes, disconnecting and draining outdoor hoses, protecting exterior faucets, sealing air leaks around doors and windows, allowing faucets to drip slightly to keep water moving, and opening cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
ONWASA also encourages residents to locate their main water shutoff valve in case a pipe freezes or bursts.
Customers who experience a water emergency or observe a water main break should contact ONWASA at 910-455-0722.
Veronica Newsome, public information officer for DOT Divisions 2 and 3, said roads were being pre-treated Thursday, starting with primary routes, major interstates and highways before moving to high-traffic secondary routes.
“We are planning to switch to salt spreaders (Friday), and then Friday night into Saturday morning, we’ll start our 12-hour, around-the-clock shifts where our crews will be monitoring and ready to respond as soon as the weather hits,” Newsome said.
Brine stops working in under 20-degree temperatures, so that’s why crews will have to switch to salt, she said.
The most important thing for residents to know is they should stay off the roads as much as possible, she said. Driving on fresh snow will pack it down and make it harder for crews to clear it.
“Snow is easy to push out of the way when it’s light and fluffy,” Newsome said. “We get the plows out, we can push it up as long as there’s no ice, but if people are driving on the snow, the snow starts to turn to ice, it melts a little bit under the cars and then it re-freezes, and it becomes way harder to clear.”
Officials weren’t the only people out preparing the community for the impending storm, as area residents were also out Thursday morning shopping for essentials.
Richlands resident Elizabeth Rust was stocking up on water and snacks at Aldi on Yopp Road in Jacksonville.
“I’m not really worried about much,” she said. “We live out in the middle of nowhere, so we’re pretty self-sufficient. I have three dogs and my 4-year-old, so I’m excited to see them in the snow. I love how quiet it gets when it snows, so definitely that, as well.”
Rust said she wouldn’t mind being snowed in so she can enjoy some much-needed rest. She said post-holidays has been crazy, as her anniversary, dad’s birthday and husband’s birthday all fall in January.
“Everybody stay safe,” she said. “That’s all I’m doing, (staying) safe and (watching) Netflix.”
Onslow County Senior Services is also working to help make sure people stay safe.
Kevin Reopelle, Onslow County public affairs manager, said senior services has a caterer that prepares meals that are delivered every weekday to homebound seniors in the community.
In anticipation of the weather, volunteers planned to deliver three extra meals Friday in the form of nonperishable goods so seniors can prepare in case volunteers are unable to deliver food early next week.
Onslow County Emergency Services also offers safety tips for residents ahead of the weekend weather.
On an episode of “Onslow County Today,” Stacie Miles, deputy director for Onslow County Emergency Services, said road safety is a top priority.
“We deal with a lot of car wrecks when we have icy roads or snowy roads,” she said. “So, a lot of what we think about in talking to the citizens for road safety is, leave early. If it takes you 30 minutes to get there, leave 45 minutes early.
“Give yourself some extra time so you can slow down. On the icy or snowy roads, the speed limit, it’s too fast.”
Miles suggests carrying around cat litter, sand or salt to use for traction in the event a motorist gets stuck or their vehicle slips off an icy road. She also said residents should carry blankets in their vehicles in case their vehicle breaks down.
Miles said preparing for snow is not all that different from preparing for a hurricane, which residents along the coast are more familiar with.
“You want to prepare to have food that doesn’t require you to necessarily cook it, in case we do have a power outage,” she said. “You want to get those big, thick blankets out and have them ready so you can bundle up if we lose power for a little bit.”
Miles also urged residents to be careful with portable generators. While they’re great to have, she said they should be run outside, away from garages, windows, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to ensure carbon monoxide doesn’t enter the home.
Reopelle said the county is in ongoing coordination with partners and neighboring counties to support preparation efforts. County leadership met Thursday to discuss the impending weather.