Friday Afternoon Update: Fayetteville, Sandhills Weather Outlook Still Unclear
Friday afternoon isn’t bringing a whole lot of resolution when it comes to projecting what kind of weather Fayetteville can expect.
Friday afternoon isn't bringing a whole lot of resolution when it comes to projecting what kind of weather Fayetteville and the greater Sandhills region can expect this weekend. But we're used to that on this boundary line, aren't we?
But things are starting to at least get a little clearer. Here's the deal as of 2 p.m. Friday:
- The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for Lee, Moroe, Harnett, Hoke, Scotland and Richmond Counties. There is a high probability of freezing rain that will cause extremely hazardous conditions, and create conditions for massive power outages.
- Robeson County has an Ice Storm Warning. A little bit different, but essentially the same situation as the others.
- Bladen County also now has a Winter Storm Watch, while Cumberland and Sampson County have Winter Weather Advisories.
A lot of what we have going on there is just semantics. We know that some of our areas will get freezing rain through Saturday and into early Sunday, which is a problem. Some others will get sleet, which is better because it doesn't knock out power. And there's a small likelihood of some snow coming AFTER all the other stuff. If it does come, it would pretty much be the last precipitation we see in this system late Sunday night (and it will feel like a surprise, because it may come after a lull).
We'll keep monitoring the situation, but as of now, it doesn't look like much of a major concern for our region. Just be prepared, and as the precipitation does come, stay off the roads. It will be cold and there will be frozen spots on roads.
Important Updates
- Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) has canceled all weekend classes starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 25. A decision on Monday will be made Sunday evening.
- The City of Fayetteville has declared a State of Emergency for the weekend, largely just in case. No specific restrictions have been put in place because of it, but the State of Emergency does give the ability to potentially enact curfews and other restrictions.
