MADISON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — In western North Carolina and in higher elevations like Madison County, temperatures have dropped into the 20s.

Jordan Denny, who works at a gas station in Wolf Laurel, says they were ready.

“Fortunately, we got propane in, I want to say yesterday, so that’s all stocked up. Haven’t had a huge surge in people buying propane, but a little bit more kerosene being sold, a little extra tobacco and things like that. Nothing too crazy, just trying to be here for people,” said Denny.

SNOW RETURNS TO WESTERN NC, ICY ROADS POSSIBLE TONIGHT INTO ST. PATRICK’S DAY

Denny said the region was teased with all the warm weather we’ve had recently.

The gas station he works at is connected to a restaurant where the co-owner says they’re expecting more business because of the snow.

“We are the only restaurant open after 4 o’clock off of this exit. It is the last exit before Tennessee and a lot of the state workers come in. My husband works for Wolf Laurel Road Crew, and they have to push snow and stuff also, so we try to stay open and provide food for them,” said Ashley Rice, the manager and co-owner at Borudys.

WEATHER WARN DAY: STORMS MOVE OUT AS COLD AIR, WINTRY WEATHER MOVES IN

North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesperson David Uchiyama said in Madison, Buncombe, and Mitchell counties, all available crews will work through the storm to clear the snow and ice.

“NCDOT crews in the high elevations will be working tonight. It’ll be full crews. The individuals will be out in their trucks. They will be clearing snow and ice where it accumulates and applying the salt or the sand or both,” said Uchiyama.

News 13 asked Uchiyama about preparation efforts. He said crews spent the day putting plows and spreaders on their vehicles and because of the precipitation last night and this morning, it would have been ineffective to apply pre-treatment.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The City of Wilmington is working with the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management to study how residents are affected by flooding, storms, and sea-level rise as part of the Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP).

The city is inviting residents to attend an in-person event to learn more about RCCP on Wednesday, March 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Skyline Center in Wilmington.

At the meeting, residents can:

• Learn what disaster resilience means for the City of Wilmington
• Learn about the Resilient Coastal Communities Program
• Share ideas, concerns, and local knowledge by taking the survey
• Find out how to continue making their voice heard during the project

For those unable to attend the in-person event, an online survey is currently available and accepting submissions.

To learn more about RCCP, click here.

Copyright 2026 WECT. All rights reserved.

Eastern North Carolina could see multiple rounds of storms through Monday, including the potential for severe weather with damaging winds, tornadoes and hail.

The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City says rain and thunderstorms will increase Sunday afternoon and evening as a warm front lifts north across the region. Some storms could become strong, with the greatest chance for severe weather near the Crystal Coast and Outer Banks.

The weather service expects a more significant threat on Monday as a strong cold front moves across the Carolinas. Multiple rounds of storms are possible throughout the day, with the greatest risk during the afternoon and evening.

Meteorologists say conditions Monday could support widespread severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and tornadoes.

Many ENC schools are closing or releasing early on Monday due to the severe weather threat.

A line of storms is expected to move west to east across eastern North Carolina Monday evening ahead of the cold front. Forecasters say isolated supercell thunderstorms may also develop ahead of the line earlier in the day.

The NWS has placed eastern North Carolina under an enhanced risk of severe weather Monday, indicating numerous severe storms are possible.

Outside of thunderstorms, strong winds are also expected ahead of the front. Inland areas could see the strongest non-thunderstorm winds between 2 and 7 p.m. Monday, while the coast and Outer Banks could experience peak winds between 6 p.m. and midnight.

Wind advisories have been issued for parts of the Outer Banks and Down East Carteret County. Hazardous marine conditions and high surf are also expected along the coast.

Behind the cold front, temperatures are forecast to drop sharply. Overnight lows could approach freezing across the Coastal Plain early Tuesday, with another round of colder air potentially bringing temperatures into the upper 20s inland Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

Forecasters advise residents to monitor the latest weather updates and have multiple ways to receive warnings as the storms move through the area.