It was fleeting, but for a couple hours on Thursday night, residents in Sampson County and across central North Carolina found themselves in the middle of a winter wonderland — one that folded up and unceremoniously left town practically before Friday’s snow day for students could begin.
Educational institutions closed on Friday included Clinton City Schools, Sampson County Schools, Sampson Community College, and Harrells and Mintz Christian academies. The county government work force operated on a two-hour delay. By the time those employees were coming to work, there were just traces of the previous night’s snowfall.
Roughly an inch fell in the northern portion of the county, less in the central part of Sampson and just a dusting in the southern end.
The most significant snow totals, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh, were in the state’s northern counties.
That included 4 inches in Youngsville, 3.8 in Franklinton and 3.3 in Roxboro. Other totals included 3.1 inches in Wendell; 2.8 in Garner, Henderson and Mebane; 2.5 in Raleigh, Falls Lake, Benson, Roanoke Rapids and Efland; 2.3 in Lucama; 2.2 in Cary; 2 in Goldsboro, Durham, Wake Forest, Smithfield and Fuquay-Varina; 1.9 in Clayton; 1.7 in Holly Springs; and 1.5 in Siler City.
Fayetteville reported about eight-tenths of an inch of snow, and Hope Mills one-half inch.
Some estimates as late as Thursday predicted Sampson would see 1-3 inches, WRAL projecting the high end of that range. It didn’t happen.
N.C. Department of Transportation crews locally were prepared for the worst. They were in place locally from Thursday afternoon and worked into the evening as central North Carolina received its first snow in more than 14 months, ending a snow drought at some 437 days, the last measurable snow at official climate locations recorded on Dec. 10, 2018.
“We didn’t brine this time,” NCDOT’s county maintenance engineer Keith Jackson said Thursday, referring to the heavily salt-saturated water mixture sprayed on roads to combat icy and snowy conditions. “With the rain coming in ahead of time, it would have significantly washed away and only been a waste of money.”
It ultimately didn’t matter, as the skeleton crew that worked Thursday morning and early Thursday afternoon as rains fell was quickly joined by the bulk of the NCDOT trucks, which worked through the night, removing snow and ice from primary roadways and most secondary ones.
“Snow response went very well yesterday afternoon through today,” Jackson said Friday afternoon. “My staff just completed review of all bridges and primary routes within Sampson County — all known locations with concerns have been addressed.
“As forecasted by multiple weather stations, the north and eastern sections of Sampson were impacted the worst, but a large majority of the county was impacted of some nature,” said Jackson, who noted that road conditions would continue to be monitored through Friday night as temperatures dropped.
“My staff did have a few trouble areas within the county and several accidents were reported,” said Jackson, “but I am not aware of any major incidents within Sampson County.”
First Sgt. Bryan Smith, with the N.C. Highway Patrol in Sampson County, confirmed as much.
“We have not had any issues,” Smith stated simply.
While the snow passed quickly, any melting that seeped on roadways was anticipated to refreeze, so motorists were urged to slow down and continue to use caution while traveling. That was expected to be a moot issue by Saturday as temperatures were supposed to be in excess of 50, and passing 60 by Sunday.
