A wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow could impact eastern North Carolina Friday night into Saturday morning.
Metoeorologist Nick Pietro with the National Weather Service said precipitation will likely start as rain but quickly transition to a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow after sunset.
"Snow, some mixed precip, maybe a isolated power outage, or some black ice and travel hazards are the hazards that we are anticipating," he explained.
A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for all areas of ENC except coastal Dare, coastal Hyde, Carteret, and Onslow Counties from 4 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Saturday – although meteorologists say some of those areas could be added to the watch area as the storm moves closer.
The watch begins Friday afternoon and lasts through mid-Sunday morning, but Pietro said some of the impacts could continue through the weekend.
"Sometimes we see ... the water or the melting snow and ice refreeze, and that presents a black ice problem," he said. "That'll be a hazard probably Saturday, well, likely Saturday night and potentially even Sunday night as well.
Martin, Pitt, Greene, and Lenoir Counties have the greatest chance of ice and snow accumulations in addition to a widespread half-inch of rain.
