Severe winter weather conditions in Virginia and North Carolina led to a high number of crashes, with over 50 vehicles involved in a series of collisions on Interstate 40 in Orange County, North Carolina. Tragically, one fatality occurred when a tractor-trailer collided with a passenger vehicle. The driver of the tractor-trailer is facing charges related to the incident.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to a total of 12 crashes involving 53 vehicles in the area. Statewide, nearly 1,200 collisions were reported on Wednesday, with major road closures on Interstate 95 and I-85 near Raleigh, North Carolina.
In Virginia, State Police recorded close to 500 crashes since the storm began, with 45 incidents resulting in injuries but no fatalities reported. Emergency workers in Suffolk, Virginia, conducted a rescue operation for two individuals trapped in an SUV that had crashed into water.
Power outages affected around 7,500 electric customers in North Carolina, particularly in areas where freezing rain and ice accumulation were anticipated. Flight disruptions were also significant, with approximately 1,800 flights canceled or delayed nationwide, including 250 flights at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The National Weather Service predicted additional snow showers following significant snowfall in Virginia, with reports of up to 12.5 inches in the Greenbrier area and 4 inches in Richmond. An Arctic air mass brought record-breaking cold to the central United States, with some regions in the Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley experiencing historically low temperatures for this time of year.
In Detroit, efforts were underway to repair a major water main break that left many residents without power and heat amid freezing temperatures. The situation remains challenging as the cold snap persists across the region.
