Eastern North Carolina faces a prolonged, high-impact winter storm this weekend, threatening travel, power reliability, and coastal conditions.
According to the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City, snowfall totals remain nearly steady, with 8 to 12 inches expected for the majority of Eastern North Carolina, and locally higher amounts possible due to banding. The heaviest snow is forecast Saturday night through Sunday morning, when snowfall rates could exceed 1 to 2 inches per hour.
Forecasters warn that blowing and drifting snow is likely, especially in open areas and along exposed roadways such as US-70, US-264, NC-24, and US-258. Strong north to north-east winds may lead to whiteout conditions, sharply reducing visibility and making travel potentially life-threatening during peak storm intensity.
Along the coast, localized blizzard conditions are possible, particularly near Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, and Ocracoke, where wind gusts and snow may combine with coastal flooding concerns. The National Weather Service notes that impacts may last into the majority of next week, as cold air and lingering effects slow cleanup and restoration efforts.
Residents are urged to complete preparations immediately, as the window to safely do so is closing. Emergency managers recommend avoiding travel during the height of the storm, keeping vehicles stocked with emergency supplies, and preparing for possible power outages.
Snow totals may vary significantly over short distances due to localized banding, meaning some communities could see higher accumulations than currently forecast.
For the latest location-specific updates, residents should monitor weather.gov/forecastpoints and official National Weather Service communications.
