NORFOLK, Va. — NORFOLK, Va. — Snowy road conditions have resulted in hundreds of accidents across Virginia and North Carolina. Authorities are urging residents to refrain from traveling to allow crews to address road safety issues. A particularly severe incident on Interstate 40 involved over 50 vehicles and multiple collisions.
On Wednesday afternoon, two separate crashes on Interstate 40 in Orange County, North Carolina, halted traffic when stopped vehicles were rear-ended, including a tragic incident involving a tractor-trailer that struck a passenger car, resulting in a fatality. North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported a total of 53 vehicles were involved in 12 separate incidents at that location. The driver of the tractor trailer has been charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and exceeding safe speed for conditions.
On Wednesday, emergency responders handled nearly 1,200 traffic accidents statewide in North Carolina, leading to road closures on Interstate 95 and I-85 near Raleigh.
Virginia State Police reported early Thursday that they have responded to nearly 500 crashes statewide since the onset of the winter storm, with at least 45 resulting in injuries, although no fatalities have been recorded.
In Suffolk, Virginia, emergency workers managed to rescue two individuals from an SUV that had overturned into water. Rescuers were photographed extending a ladder to assist one person who had climbed onto the roof of the vehicle.
Power outages were reported in North Carolina, with approximately 7,500 customers affected on Thursday morning due to freezing rain and ice accumulation. In addition, about 1,800 flights were canceled or delayed nationally, including around 250 at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Forecasters predict that following a significant snowfall in Virginia on Wednesday, additional snow showers could lead to another half-inch of accumulation on Thursday. Reports from the National Weather Service indicated around 12.5 inches of snow in the Greenbrier area south of Norfolk and about 4 inches in Richmond.
An Arctic air mass is establishing record low temperatures across the central United States, with forecasts suggesting that certain areas in the Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley may experience their coldest temperatures on record for this time of year. In Detroit, city crews are currently addressing a significant water main break that has left numerous residents without power and heating in the frigid conditions.
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This report contains vital updates on winter weather impacts across the region.
