Charlotte Winter Storm: What's Open, Closed

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Charlotte metro region woke up under a blanket of snow Wednesday morning, with schools, businesses and government offices shut down and a state of emergency in effect.

Gov. Roy Cooper issued the state of emergency Tuesday for all 100 counties in North Carolina,, urging drivers in the state to stay off of roads that had iced up in freezing temperatures overnight.

"Nearly all of North Carolina will be impacted by this winter storm, and we're making sure North Carolina is ready," Cooper said. "I urge all of our residents to be prepared and to stay safe."

The state of emergency declaration will allow emergency management to assist with response, and triggers a state law preventing excessive charging during an emergency, Cooper said.
State officials are asking North Carolina drivers to stay off the roads when they become dangerous.

"Unnecessary travel not only puts you at risk, but it can also put our first responders' lives at risk if you end up needing help," Cooper said. "And the more vehicles we have on the road, the tougher it is for our DOT crews to treat and clear those roads and get them open again."

North Carolina Department of Transportation said Wednesday morning it had deployed almost 1,500 employees statewide in more than 1,000 trucks and graders to treat roads with more than 4,200 tons of salt, and more than 230,000 gallons of brine.

At least 3 inches to 6 inches of snow is expected to fall on a widespread section of central North Carolina with snowfall rates up to 1-inch per hour in some locations, according to North Carolina Emergency Management.

Charlotte Department of Transportation is asking area drivers to report icy road conditions by calling CharMeck 311. Also, reports of routine icing on city streets can be called in to 704-336-3200. Actual emergencies and crashes should be called in to 911.

SEE ALSO: Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Charlotte: What To Know

What’s Open Wednesday

• The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County announced Wednesday morning they were open open with regular business hours, but said all non-essential personnel were not required to come into work.

• An emergency shelter has been opened at the Grady Cole Center at 310 N Kings Drive in Charlotte and will be open through Thursday, Jan. 18 at noon.
• Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is operating a regular schedule for buses, LYNX trains and CityLYNX streetcars. Special Transportation Service will operate as scheduled.

SEE ALSO: County Faces Criticism For Not Opening Warming Shelter

What’s Closed Wednesday

• All sessions of Mecklenburg County Court will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 17.
• All Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 17.

SEE ALSO: Motorists Urged To Stay Off Roads As NC Declares Emergency

Charlotte Water

• Report leaks to 311. After hours, callers can use the phone prompt system to report leaks. This is the fastest method to get a crew to respond.
• Know that Charlotte Water will respond to every leak report but may prioritize repairs to address emergencies sooner.
• Today, before you need to use it, find the main water turn off switch in your home. For many, it is located near the water heater. In case of a burst pipe, shut off water as quickly as possible.
• If you are suddenly without water service, check with a neighbor. If others are without water too, Charlotte Water may have needed to temporarily shut off water service to address a nearby emergency repair.
• Major road closures and larger water outages are posted at Charlotte Water’s Twitter page.

(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Charlotte Patch. Access Patch on the go with our iPhone app or our brand new app for Android phone users.)

Main Photo courtesy of North Carolina Emergency Management