A winter storm that brought more than a foot of snow, high winds and subzero temperatures led to dozens of vehicle accidents and brought the area to a halt Saturday and Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Morehead City reported Sunday upwards of 13 inches of snow in Jacksonville and 17 inches in Swansboro.
Call it snowmageddon, snowpocalypse, a winter wonderland, or at the angst of parents, the reason school was canceled Monday, but regardless of how you look at it, a heavy dose of the white stuff fell from the sky.
Many were delighted by the visit of Jack Frost, which dumped 3 to 5 inches of snow in Onslow County Saturday afternoon and an additional 5 to 8 inches overnight, while others weren’t as thrilled about the snow.
Those who found joy from the weather reminisced to their youth.
“This snow is beautiful and reminds me of New England,” said Bob Wilman, a retired Marine colonel in Jacksonville, originally from Boston. “These short periods of snowfall are uplifting and inspirational, but it’s also good that it melts in days.”
Retired teacher Laurie Holmes, of Jacksonville, would hope so.
“I do not like winter and I do not like being cold. I especially do not like snow,” she said. “I have happy memories of being a young child in upstate New York. We always had snowmen in our yard and built some amazing ice forts using tin lunch boxes to make snow bricks.
“Having spent most of my life here in North Carolina, I much prefer being warm and spending my time outside with the animals on my little farm.”
Speaking of animals, the horses at Breezy Meadows Farm and Stables between Jacksonville and Swansboro also had to brave the snow.
“Some are fine with it, most are nervous,” said owner Andrea Petersen, adding that the snow was literally falling sideways.
But it all makes for a “beautiful sight,” said Chris Marks, of Jacksonville.
“Well, as I predicted, snow has come to eastern North Carolina. It is a beautiful sight,” he said. “I prefer white sand versus white snow. However, it makes for beautiful pictures. It brings back wonderful memories of visits to upstate New York at Christmas time, and makes for a peaceful, easy feeling.”
Marks’ wife, Kathy, had a more outside-the-box thought on the snow.
“It reminds me of purity and will help kill all the bugs in the ground from the summertime, maybe even the moles,” she said.
Regardless of how residents view the snow, one thing is clear, it’s the biggest snow storm the area has experienced since December 1989, with snowfall amounts varying around the county but reaching as high as 15 inches in some places.
The National Weather Service in Morehead City reported 11 inches of snow in Swansboro by Saturday night, before several more inches fell overnight.
On Friday, a state of emergency was declared in Onslow County, Jacksonville and North Topsail Beach for Saturday, starting at 7 a.m.
As of Sunday morning, Onslow County officials were reporting nearly 1 foot of snow in most places, with more in others. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office reported a total of 35 weather-related vehicle accidents by Saturday night, and the Jacksonville Police Department reported 14 vehicle accidents within the city limits by Sunday morning.
To ensure the safety of local residents and first responders, local officials asked residents to say off roadways unless travel is necessary.
Onslow County Emergency Services enacted a Delayed Response Operational Plan early Sunday, placing all non-critical and non-life-threatening calls on a delayed response list until road conditions improve.
The N.C. National Guard also dedicated two Humvee crews to support Onslow County Emergency Medical Services.
“The county is working with all available resources to provide critical services where they are needed,” said Bradley Kinlaw, Onslow County Emergency Services director. “We greatly appreciate the assistance provided by the National Guard, local municipal partners and county volunteer fire departments that have helped us respond to emergencies in a safe manner.”
Several major Onslow County roads were closed Sunday morning, including part of Wilson Boulevard and N.C. 24.
Scattered power outages were also a problem early Sunday, with Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corp. reporting 251 customers without power. By 9 a.m., electricity had been restored to all but 14 members.
The county reported a total of 17 electric outages by 11 a.m.
The N.C. Department of Transportation reported Saturday that it had seven graters working in Onslow County. Onslow County Schools went ahead and closed for all staff and students for Monday, as did all county and city offices and facilities.
On Saturday, Onslow County opened a shelter at Jacksonville Commons Elementary School, on Commons Drive.
Temperatures in the area will improve with a high of 44 degrees Tuesday, a low of 31 degrees, and a high of 49 degrees Wednesday, the NWS reports.