Greenville, North Carolina – Drivers across inland eastern North Carolina may face icy roads and scattered power outages this weekend as a winter storm threatens areas well west of the coast from Saturday afternoon through Monday afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City, a Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Duplin, Greene, Lenoir, Martin, and Pitt counties. Confidence is increasing in a period of mixed winter precipitation, with snow and sleet totals up to one inch possible and ice accumulations around a quarter of an inch in spots.
Communities including Greenville, Kinston, Farmville, Snow Hill, Williamston, Kenansville, and Wallace are all within the watch area. While snowfall amounts are expected to remain limited, even a thin glaze of ice could make bridges, overpasses, and untreated roads dangerously slick, especially during overnight and early morning hours. Portions of U.S. 13, U.S. 258, and local secondary roads could see hazardous travel conditions develop quickly.
Ice buildup on tree limbs and power lines may lead to isolated power outages, particularly where freezing rain persists the longest. Residents are urged to delay non-essential travel once precipitation begins, charge electronic devices ahead of time, and monitor local alerts.
The winter threat may linger into Monday afternoon, and additional advisories or warnings could be issued as confidence in impacts increases.
