RICHMOND COUNTY – Winter Storm Grayson made an unexpected, but perhaps welcomed, appearance across Richmond County Wednesday afternoon and evening as the whiteout dropped between three and nearly four inches of fresh powder.
As of mid-Thursday morning, many main roads, as well as back roads, across the county were still snow covered, making driving conditions slick. Temperatures are expected to remain below or slightly above freezing Thursday, which will make the clearing of roads more difficult.
Initially, forecasters predicted that Richmond County would be on the western fringe of Grayson’s path. But by early afternoon Wednesday, what was originally anticipated as a trace soon became a significant snowfall.
Richmond County Schools released students and faculty at 1 p.m. Wednesday, as the first flurries began falling shortly afterward. By late afternoon with the sun setting, snow began sticking on sidewalks and roads (many of which had been treated ahead of the storm).
RCS, as well as Richmond Community College and several local businesses and childcare centers, are all closed for operation Thursday. An updated list can be found here.
By 10 p.m. Wednesday, all the snow had stopped, and based on the number of photos submitted by readers, many county residents seemed to be enjoying the frozen treat. But, as winter weather tends to do, Grayson had done its fair share of disrupting schedules and traffic.
For Donna Wright, director of Richmond County’s Emergency Services, it’s been a busy 24-hour stretch that has seen emergency crews around the county responding to calls. Several accidents caused by the snowfall and slick roads were reported to Wright at the 911 Center.
“From 3 to 8 p.m. (Wednesday), our office received 52 calls,” Wright noted. “Of those, 14 were related to weather; all others were medical and fire alarms.
“There were no fatalities or serious injuries reported,” Wright added regarding calls about the weather. “Most of the accidents were vehicles sliding into ditches.”
Wright also commented that roads are becoming more passable as some of the snow melts, but warns drivers of the possibility of the hazard of the snow re-freezing later in the day and overnight hours.
According to a source close to the Richmond Observer, US Highways 1, 74 and 220 are flowing at a slower pace, but the roads are clear enough to make them drivable. However, back roads and side streets across the county are still packed with snow, making driving conditions hazardous.
Lee Berry, mayor of Ellerbe, confirmed this with an update on roads in the northern reaches of the county.
“Snow plows are on bypass 220 as I text,” Berry noted around 11 a.m. Thursday. “Business 220 in Ellerbe is still slick as the current temperature is only 29 (degrees). It looks like it’s going to be messy tonight with the temperature going back in the teens.”
While crews across the county work to make roads safer for drivers, the RO will continue to update conditions and closures/delays of schools and businesses.
Readers are encouraged to submit photos of them enjoying or battling Winter Storm Grayson to the RO at editor@richmondobserver.com or through its free mobile app.
