Mountain residents wake up to white Christmas, slick roads and no power for over 2,000
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Western North Carolina (WLOS) — It’s a Christmas miracle for some and a nightmare for others. Many Western North Carolina residents went to bed with a blustery wintry mix outside their windows and woke up to a white Christmas.
The snowfall across the mountains provided a gorgeous holiday morning for many to wake up to, while many others woke up to no power. Several major roadways have been cleared but anyone needing to be out on the roads should still be extremely careful.
The City of Asheville Streets Department is working on clearing roads around the city Thursday morning. Click here to view the city’s map of priority roadways.
Meanwhile, over 2,000 Duke Energy customers in WNC are without power Friday morning. A spokesperson for Duke tells News 13 crews are working to repair damaged power lines across the mountains as fast as safely possible. People are urged to avoid any downed power lines.
One mountain resident News 13 spoke with on Friday morning said his power had gone out around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and that it was still out.
“We’re blessed,” Mark Newman said. “We have gas logs so we’re not nearly as bad as others, but you know, there are definitely others from this area that probably don’t have that and I feel more for them than anyone else.”
Some roadways in the mountains, like Beaverdam Road in Asheville, have been blocked off for utility crews to work on restoring power.
News 13 crews saw some drivers on the road while out before noon, many driving slow and steady. One man said the roads haven’t seemed too bad for him.
“I just came out, but they look good so far,” the driver said. “I mean, I’m surprised there’s already some sand out, but so far so good. “It’s going to melt fast I think, hopefully.”
Another man News 13 talked with said he had counted 17 stranded cars on his way from I-240 to Merrimon Avenue Friday morning.
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