Lumberton, North Carolina – Icy conditions continued to worsen across southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina Sunday afternoon, prompting officials to strongly discourage travel as freezing rain lingered into the evening hours.
According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, an Ice Storm Warning remains in effect until 1 a.m. Monday for Robeson County in North Carolina and Marlboro, Dillon, and Darlington counties in South Carolina. Additional ice accumulations around one-tenth of an inch are expected, enough to keep roads, bridges, and overpasses slick and hazardous on untreated surfaces.
In North Carolina, drivers in and around Lumberton are urged to avoid travel as secondary roads glaze over. Across the South Carolina border, communities including Bennettsville, McColl, Hartsville, Darlington, and Dillon face similar conditions, with visibility reduced at times by freezing precipitation and mist.
Transportation officials warn that even minor ice accumulation can cause vehicles to lose traction quickly, especially on bridges and elevated roadways. Emergency managers recommend delaying all travel until conditions improve and preparing for isolated power outages as ice collects on lines and trees.
Residents who must be on the road are urged to slow down, increase following distance, and carry emergency supplies. Icy conditions are expected to persist through the late night hours, with gradual improvement after the warning expires early Monday.
