Burke braces for weekend winter weather onslaught

It’s gonna be one big ol’ mess.

Ain’t nobody questioning that.

Trouble is, it’s not going to be just one big ol’ mess.

It’s going to be one big ol’ dangerous mess, with the near certainty of heavy ice accumulations, falling limbs, trees, and power lines. Add to that icy roads that will be more like skating rinks than thoroughfares.

And after the freezing rain and sleet do stop falling, a horrific cold snap will likely lead to frozen pipes and no real melting to speak of until the middle of next week.

As of this morning, the National Weather Service is expecting frozen precipitation — most likely snow and sleet — to begin across the Foothills on Saturday afternoon.

That frozen precipitation, transitioning first to all sleet and then to freezing rain, is expected to continue through Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday.

Temperatures will be cold throughout the period, not rising above freezing, and plummeting to 18 degrees early on Monday. The temperature may graze freezing that afternoon before dropping to 8 degrees Tuesday morning.

Other weather outlets remain more bullish on snow than does the National Weather Service, but all predict frozen precipitation over an extended period followed by plunging temperatures.

Long story short, according to the National Weather Service, Burke County residents have roughly 48 hours to prepare for a weather event which will bring “power outages, hazardous driving, and dangerously low temperatures.”

Here’s what our local governments are doing to prepare for what seems certain to be the most dangerous weekend in Burke County since the arrival of Hurricane Helene back in September of 2024.

CITY OF MORGANTON

In Morganton, crews have been preparing for an around-the-clock operation to clear streets of winter accumulation. Thursday morning crews will begin treating the nearly 90 miles of city-maintained streets with brine, salt, and sand.

The treatment will be spread on all critical areas such as hills and bridges. Crews will monitor the streets until the accumulation reaches a depth that crews can start to scrape snow, according to Public Information Officer Jonelle Sigmon.

When clearing the streets, primary streets will be first, then secondary streets, and lastly residential streets. A crew will also be on standby to clear sidewalks in downtown Morganton.

“We have to make sure all emergency medical vehicles, police, and fire engines are able to use the primary roads. The 89.05 miles of roads we have to maintain are equally important, but we have to prioritize it somehow with the amount of resources we have,” Public Works Director Michael Chapman said.

Residents can help the clearing run smoother by parking off the street or aligning vehicles on one side of the street, according to Sigmon. Public works also asks that property owners do not put any debris or bulk trash at the street as the storm approaches.

“We are prepared and working on brine tanks and making sure all equipment is oiled and working correctly,” Chapman said.

The city has six snow plow trucks, a skid steer snow plow for parking lots, motor grader, a backhoe and rubber tire loader to move and pick up larger amounts of snow. The city has also contracted with other companies in the past to receive extra help clearing streets if needed, according to Sigmon.

“Anytime winter weather is approaching, we have crews working on 12-hour shifts to get roads cleared as quickly and safely as we can,” Chapman said.

Residential garbage collection will be on a one-day delay for the week of Jan. 26-30. The city will post further updates on its website and social media, according to Sigmon.

For any questions, call public works at 828-438-5248.

With the icy conditions expected, the Electric Services Department is preparing for power outages. The city asks that power customers report outages through a call to 828-438-5277. The city asks that customers do not report power outages through social media channels.

If the power goes out, cable and internet will also go out, but will come back online once power is restored. City staff also ask that people not touch or move downed power lines, but to contact the city’s electric department to report any downed lines so that they can be addressed as quickly as possible.

For people that do not have city power, contact your specific electric supplier at the numbers below:

Duke Power: 1-800-PowerOn

Rutherford Electric: 1-800-228-9756

The city will announce updates through the city’s website, social media, WMNC Radio, and CoMPAS Cable TV.

To prevent pipes from breaking within your home, the Water Resources Department encourages property owners to leave a faucet dripping. If residents see a water main break, report it to the Water Resources Department at 828-438-5276.

BURKE COUNTY

The Burke County Joint Information Center said this morning that the county, Rhodhiss, Valdese, Drexel, Rutherford College, Connelly Springs, Glen Alpine, and Morganton are preparing for a powerful winter storm.

The county strongly advises residents to have enough non-perishable food, water, medication, and necessary medical equipment for at least 72 hours, as roads may be undrivable due to ice.

Those who rely on oxygen need to have back-up oxygen on hand. Should an individual reliant on oxygen need to go to a shelter or hospital, they must bring their own oxygen equipment.

The county and municipal governments are prepared to open shelters and warming stations if needed. Shelter locations will be announced should the need arise.

Residents should prepare ahead of time by gathering emergency supplies, checking heating systems, insulating exposed pipes, making arrangements for pets and vulnerable family members, and creating a communication plan with family if normal communication systems are disrupted.

During the storm, travel is not advised. Residents are encouraged to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary. Driving during snow, sleet, or freezing rain is extremely dangerous.

When the storm ends, remain cautious. Roads may still be icy, trees and power lines may be weaker, and temperatures may still be dangerously cold. Residents are encouraged to check on elderly neighbors or those with medical needs.

Residents are also encouraged to stay informed on weather conditions via official weather forecasts, local government messaging, and trusted emergency management sources.

BURKE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Although Burke County Public Schools (BCPS) won’t make the decision until Monday morning about a delay or cancellation, it is preparing for the coming winter weather by salting and spreading snowmelt along school sidewalks.

The district said it is also prepared for remote learning, but no decision has been made yet. The district confirmed that it will decide on remote learning at the same time as deciding whether to cancel school, and students are sent home with work in case that outcome prevails.

When the district makes a decision, it will start notifying families immediately through its website, social media, Finalsite all-call messaging system, ClassDojo, and local and regional media.

No news or notification usually means school is on a regular schedule.

New Dimensions Charter School administrators monitor weather reports and stay in contact with the Burke Emergency System, making their call based on road safety. They alert families through an all-call system, encompassing a voicemail, a text message, and an email all at once. They also post on Facebook and through ClassDojo.

SPORTING EVENTS MOVED UP

With winter weather forecast for this weekend, several athletic events involving Burke County high schools have been moved up.

Patton at East Burke basketball will now be played today instead of Friday, with the Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference foes facing off in JV girls action beginning at 4 p.m., followed by the JV boys, varsity girls, and varsity boys contests.

Other WPC hoops action will see Draughn host R-S Central today instead of the originally scheduled Friday date. The JV girls game tips off at 4 p.m., followed by the JV boys, varsity girls, and varsity boys contests.

Also today, Freedom will participate in the Northwestern 6A/7A Conference wrestling tournament at South Caldwell. The tourney was slated to take place on Friday, but will now start at 5 p.m. a day earlier.

Finally, the WPC wrestling tournament — which Draughn, EB, and Patton will all participate in — will now be held on Friday instead of Saturday. R-S Central will host the event beginning at 4 p.m.

Still scheduled for Friday are the McDowell at Freedom and Carolina International at NCSSM-Morganton basketball games. A full slate of action at Freedom will begin with the JV girls game at 4 p.m., while NCSSM-M will host varsity girls and boys contests against Carolina International beginning at 4:30 p.m.

TOWN OF VALDESE

Town Manager Todd Herms said the Public Works department will start applying brine to the main streets today, and finish the work on Friday. Many streets are maintained by NCDOT, Herms said, and the town is coordinating with them for weather preparations.

Valdese has five plow trucks and two loaders, Herms said. If needed, loaders will remove snow from streets to prevent excessive buildup in critical areas.

“We encourage residents to prepare now for a potentially significant weather event, while hoping it does not reach a worst-case scenario,” Herms said. “Snow presents challenges, but ice can be far more dangerous. Icy conditions can severely limit travel and make operations difficult for everyone, including emergency services. Residents should avoid unnecessary travel, allow crews time to work, and take basic winter-storm precautions to stay safe.”

Herms emphasized that if a resident needs assistance, they must dial 911 for emergencies or 828-879-2101, then press 9, for non-emergency situations. Under no circumstances should a resident contact a department head or town employee directly, he said, because “doing so will delay our response, prevent the issue from being handled through the proper channels, and interfere with accurate documentation and record-keeping.”

TOWN OF DREXEL

Drexel Town Manager Bill Carroll reported the small municipality just east of Morganton is gearing up for a potential winter weather event this weekend.

“We are making sure our trucks and equipment are gassed up and good to go,” Carroll said in a telephone interview. “We’re also making sure staff is prepared to come in if necessary to deal with emergencies.”

Drexel, Carroll said, does not put down a salt and brine mixture on its streets in anticipation of snow but does utilize a snowplow to clear town streets if a major snowfall does occur.

“You have to have a good accumulation of snow to make plowing worthwhile,” he said, “otherwise you’re just making a mess.”

The town manager said the town plows steep street sections and major thoroughfares first.

TOWN OF GLEN ALPINE

The Town of Glen Alpine is currently making preparations for the streets that are town maintained, which is approximately 8.4 miles of town streets, according to Town Administrator Crystal Carswell.

Glen Alpine’s main roads are maintained by the N.C. Department of Transportation, so they will be cleared at the direction of the state. Those roads include Linville Street, Highway 70, Catawba Street, London Street, and Lail Road, according to Carswell.