Charlotte Prepares for Inclement Weather
Charlotte, NC -- Charlotte Department of Transportation’s Street Maintenance Division spoke with its commercial weather services provider this morning at 8:00 a.m. The meteorologist predicted that snow would begin after 9:00 p.m. this evening and continue throughout the night and into Thursday morning. The snow is expected to end around 6:00 a.m. or 7:00 a.m., switching over to freezing rain and sleet. This will continue through 12:00 noon or 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, at which time the freezing rain and sleet is expected to switch to cold rain.

 

Anticipate some build up of snow on bridges and pavement surfaces. This snow may eventually have an icy layer of freezing rain and sleet on top. Expect a build up of up to 1/10 inch of ice on surfaces.

 

The Street Maintenance Division is preparing to place salt brine on major thoroughfares and bridges. This process began at 10:00 a.m. and will continue until all target streets and bridges are covered. Thirty salt trucks will mobilize at 9:00 p.m. tonight and work throughout the night and early morning hours, placing salt on pavements and bridge decks with snow or ice accumulation. Hazardous driving conditions are expected through 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. We anticipate there could be frozen surfaces due to wet surfaces on Friday morning. We will be monitoring for this condition and plan a course of action as the situation develops. The night shift Street Maintenance Supervisors will be Ray Degreeff and Jeff Osborne. CDOT Dispatch can be reached at 704-336-3200.

 

CDOT advises all citizens to stay aware of the temperatures and accumulation of snow during the storm. If you must travel, please delay until temperatures are well above freezing, especially during the early morning hours when temperatures are usually at their lowest.  Please be patient and drive defensively by increasing your following distance, delaying your start from an intersection, and looking both ways to avoid cars that may be unable to stop due to the slippery streets. Allow plenty of time to reach your destination and drive safely.