North Carolina on snow watch

Ashton Baysden
A&E Editor

      While North Carolina had a fairly warm Christmas, it would appear that the start of 2017 will be the antithesis of preceding months in terms of weather. Cold air has made its way into Wake County, lowering temperatures by over thirty degrees within the past couple of weeks, and now meteorologists are predicting that Raleigh could see four to six inches of snow on Saturday. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for nearly three dozen North Carolinian counties.
      While the idea of receiving that much snow is appealing, many are fearing for the impact it will have on the school year. If Raleigh does indeed receive as much snow as predicted, schools could be closed for at least two days going into next week which would eliminate any days off until spring break in April. With the semester quickly approaching its end, the timing is just too poor for many Wake County residents to feel excitement about the winter weather. In addition to the school year, the weather is also going to affect the inauguration of NC Gov. Roy Cooper. The inaugural ceremony initially planned for the new leader has been cancelled, as well as the inaugural parade.

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      The wild winter weather in North Carolina is appearing as a result of Winter Storm Helena which has been wreaking havoc in the West for the past week. During its time in the West, the storm shut down schools, closed roads, brought severe winds, triggered avalanches, and even took a young life in Oregon. Eight-year-old Zaylee Schlect was asleep in her bed when the storm’s harsh winds caused a tree to fall onto her home, trapping her inside and eventually taking her life.
    Whether or not Wake County sees two inches or ten inches of snow this weekend, there are several things to remember in times of severe weather: Avoid driving on icy roads, bundle up if you have to leave your house, always have flashlights handy in your house, stock up on hot chocolate, and last but not least, yellow snow is not your friend.