Editor’s note: The Appalachian is continuing to monitor the development of a “major winter storm” that may impact the High Country over the weekend. This is a developing story, and updates will continue as they are made available.
Last updated Sunday at 3:54 p.m.
Sunday afternoon:
Classes scheduled to meet Monday in person on the Boone and Hickory campuses have been canceled. Classes scheduled to meet Tuesday in person on the Boone and Hickory campuses will not meet in person.
Condition 2 will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday, and Condition 1 will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
“Weather and road conditions continue to be evaluated, and if needed, any additional updates will be communicated on Monday, Jan. 26,” read an update sent out by App State Sunday afternoon.
Saturday afternoon:
The Town of Boone declared a State of Emergency for “the impending winter storm” which went into effect 4 p.m. Saturday.
“As a result of the above-described disaster, I have determined that there is an imminent threat of, or existing conditions have caused or will cause, widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property, and public safety authorities will be unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection for lives or property,” read part of the declaration signed by Boone Mayor Dalton George.
App State announced its Mountaineer Safe Walk service will not operate Saturday and Sunday due to impending weather conditions.
A temporary shelter opened 4 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, located at 131 Big Valley Street in Boone.
“Anyone who is in need should plan to arrive prior to treacherous travel,” read a Watauga County Emergency Services post about the shelter. “Do not travel during the storm.”
AppalCart, which closed 4 p.m. Saturday, will not operate Sunday or Monday.
Friday morning:
Kat Eller, the community liaison officer for Boone Police Department, wrote in an email that the department will be operating 24/7 regardless of weather conditions, with a possibility of delayed response times depending on road conditions. She said the department is working with community partners to provide resources to those in the community.
She advises that residents should stay home and prepare for possible power outages by collecting water, charging devices and ensuring they have plenty of items needed to stay warm. Eller also encourages residents to download the Boone Police Department NC app to receive regular updates and emergency announcements, as well as staying updated on local social media sites.
The Town of Boone has employed crews to pre-salt roadways and maintain roads, as well as dedicated on-call crews ready to respond to winter weather conditions, according to Eller.
“Keep in mind that if you are out in the weather without a good reason, you are placing yourself, others, and our emergency services in harms way, and taking away from those who may need emergency assistance,” Eller wrote. My biggest advice, is to take care of one another. Check on you neighbors. Let’s be a community.”
Thursday evening:
App State announced that the Boone and Hickory campuses will operate under Adverse Weather Condition 2, also known as “suspended operations,” starting at noon Saturday and extending until 7 a.m. Monday.
All classes scheduled to meet on the Boone and Hickory campuses on Monday will not meet in person. Adverse Weather Condition 1, also known as “reduced operations,” will be implemented starting at 7 a.m. Monday, and additional information about Monday’s operations will be shared on Sunday.
Thursday morning:
Reports of a “major winter storm” from the National Weather Service are predicted to impact the High Country, as well as many parts of the United States, this weekend.
The High Country will be under a winter storm watch from 7 a.m. Saturday through 1 p.m. Monday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is currently predicting half an inch to four inches of snowfall, temperatures dropping to the tens for several nights and several inches of ice, sleet or freezing rain, which is expected to possibly linger several days after the initial storm.
NOAA predicts that the storm is currently looking “increasingly comparable” to a winter storm that occurred during February 2014.
With conditions expected to impact the area around noon on Saturday and continue until Monday morning, NOAA urges that all preparations for the storm should be completed before noon on Saturday.
In response to the predicted conditions, Gov. Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency Wednesday for the entire state of North Carolina.
Several local events have been postponed or cancelled, such as Blowing Rock’s WinterFest and App State basketball games.
The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce has provided a list of emergency service providers for residents to use in the event of an emergency.
