Salt, shovels and snowplows remain the weapons of choice for North Carolinians as they continue to recover from last weekend's snow storm.
In what is widely regarded as the worst blizzard to hit the East Coast in 70 years, a massive storm system blanketed most of the region with up to three feet of snow. Several cities measured record-setting snowfalls, including Philadelphia, which received 26.1 inches of snow in a 24-hour period.
Snowfall in North Carolina ranged from more than two feet in the western part of the state to 3-5 inches in the Triangle area, said Ron Humble, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Raleigh bureau. Precipitation began on Saturday morning and continued for more than 24 hours.
Sleet and freezing rain combined with the snow to create a slick mixture that rendered most roads impassable on Sunday and Monday. State and local officials have been working since the beginning of the storm to clear roads, but much work remains.
Most of Durham's busier streets are now passable, but secondary and residential streets remain treacherous, said City Engineer Ken Wright. City officials deployed 23 snowplows on Durham streets Saturday night, and crews have continued to clear snow since then.
Residents who live in the less traveled areas of Durham may be waiting for a while, however, before they see a plow. City engineers decided not to plow most residential streets because the plowing would only remove loose snow, leaving a slick sheet of ice, Wright said. Although city officials have not yet decided in what order they will plow streets, Wright said that the city will clear all streets that have at least two inches of snow.
Snow and ice prevented most people from getting to work early this week, paralyzing many local businesses. Most were either completely shut down or had severely limited hours of operation Monday and Tuesday, said Bill Baucom, an employee at the Durham Chamber of Commerce. Businesses are now slowly returning to normal operation, he said.
But not every business closed, and one employee who worked through the storm said that getting to work has been a challenge. "I've been getting over the best way I can," said Helen Price, who works at a Forest Hills shopping center. Price said that because Durham buses are not yet serving her area, she has had to rely on cab rides, which cost her more than the bus.
Although the city has plowed her street in southern Durham, Price said she did not see much improvement in the road conditions. "They said the plow came through, but you can't tell it," she said. "It looks like they just spread it around and packed it down."
While most businesses were closing, some reaped benefits from the storm. The Kroger grocery store on Hillsborough Road saw sales increase by more than $10,000 on Saturday, said Craig Debarry, one of the store's managers.
Hospitals were not seriously affected by the storm. Representatives from Durham Regional Hospital and the Medical Center said that neither hospital had any services interrupted by the storm.
Hospital representatives also said they did not see a large increase in the number of weather-related emergency cases. One reason for this may be that car accidents occurred at lower speeds, said Karen Hinson, an employee in the Medical Center News Office.
Most of the state's 17,000 miles of interstates and major state highways are now clear, said Jim Trogdon, assistant state road maintenance engineer. The Department of Transportation, which coordinates snow removal from state roads, will now finish clearing all main roads, Trogdon said, probably by the end of today.
Secondary roads may take longer to be plowed, particularly in the more mountainous areas of the state, Trogdon said. High winds and drifting snow have thwarted the DOT's efforts to keep the roads clear. "You clear the road one day and overnight snow blows right on top of it," he said. Officials are currently concentrating on the busier secondary roads, Trogdon said.
Despite these efforts, North Carolinians may face more slippery conditions by the end of the week. Meteorologists predict that another storm will hit the state on Thursday or Friday, bringing rain and possibly more snow to some areas of the state. Some roadways will probably be covered again with snow and ice, Humble said.
In addition to clearing snow, state officials helped drivers who ran afoul of icy roads. State Highway Patrol officials have already responded to about 5,000 accidents, said Steve Jones, a spokesman for the Highway Patrol.
Harris Hwang contributed to this story.
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