Last Updated on December 27, 2012 5:13 am
*updated list of reported conditions via the facebook and twitter pages*
5:12am – 26 degrees in Boone with a wind chill of 7 above. Winds gusting close to 70mph at times.
5:13am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 335, Ashe 86, Caldwell 25
Overnight power outages were reported in Boone. Reports to the facebook page are that a transformer blew causing wide spread outages. Also power outages were reported across Watauga County.
5:19am – peak wind gust so far is 75mph at 3:35am in Boone.
5:41am – very high winds (gust of over 50, 60, 70 mph) and blowing snow making travel very difficult this morning. Best advice is stay off the roads if possible.
5:43am – Getting report from our sponsor at Cole's Lawn Care “Tree down and power line hanging across road on aho. Use caution”
5:44am – fire crews have been dispatched to Elk Creek Road and Jake's Mountain Road for report of trees down in the road.
5:49am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 371, Ashe 60, Caldwell 13, Wilkes 1
5:52am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 486, Ashe 60, Caldwell 13, Wilkes 1
5:56am – per Boone Police twitter feed “Over night we have had several trees down causing power outages & blocking roads. Roads are also snow covered so use caution & slow down.”
6am – per facebook reports “Very windy on Meat Camp and roads are covered”, “Noticed slot of branches on Fairway Drive this morning, 321 is covered a little 105 is good, but very very windy.”
6:05am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 566, Ashe 64, Caldwell 13, Wilkes 2
6:13am – tree reported across the road on Pine Run Road
From the Blue Ridge EMC facebook from last night linemen restored power to 8,000 members served by our Boone Todd line after a tree fell on power lines, affecting a circuit serving this area”
6:24am – AppalCART reports via their twitter feed that “Thursday December 27, 2012 AppalCART will be on a two hour delay”
6:27pm – per a fb comment ” Boone side streets are covered. Very windy, Blowing Rock Rd covered but not too bad. So be very careful !”
6:29am – Winkler's Creek Road is currently closed at the front the New River power crews are working to get it open
6:36am – Per scanner HWY 194 in Todd, near Watauga Line is blocked by downed trees.
6:39 – from fb comment “194 from 421 is pretty bad to meat camp road. most of the main roads are in good shape other than that. side roads are pretty much untouched”
6:43am per fb comment “Only the main highways are clear. All side streets are very slick and completely covered.”
6:44am – from our twitter feed “@WataugaRoads there Is black ice on 221 towards 421 ( going from fleetwood to Boone )”
6:48am – from fb “Was a little icy. Mabel worse then vilas”
6:49am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 506, Ashe 193, Caldwell 18, Wilkes 2
7am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 575, Ashe 194, Caldwell 107, Wilkes 2
7am – per fb comment “Junaluska and Howard's Creek are covered”
7:13am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 604, Ashe 819, Caldwell 107, Wilkes 2
7:13am – from fb “Traveling from Lenoir to Deep Gap this morning…roads pretty good, right lane from Blowing Rock to Boone covered in some spots and Deerfield in front of hospital covered and slick. Otherwise no problems for me. Drove slow and easy though.”
7:15am – from fb “194 from Todd to DOT is rough. 421 to State Farm isn't bad. There's a lot of black ice! BE CAREFUL!”
7:21am from fb “Shulls Mill is fairly clear….small tree in part of the road…use caution.” & “from Zionville To Boone/ ASU Roads are Fairly Clear Didnt Have A Problem At All”
7:30am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 588, Ashe 225, Caldwell 107, Wilkes 2
7:45am – from fb “Traffic light at the mall and cookout isnt working. Everything else around it though seems to be fine.”
7:47am – per fb “in Valle Crucis on Dewitt Barnett, the road is nothing but Ice very dangerous”
7:49am per fb – 421 is fairly clear Bamboo rd is also fairly clear with some slick spots on both highways
7:54am per twitter – @WataugaRoads 105 into town from Foscoe is wet, but clear.
From Watauga County Communications
Roads this morning are mostly clear on the mains and salted. Back roads are going to be snow covered and slick. There are a lot of trees down, use caution on back roads especially in curves.
8am – Main roads appear to be fine for the most part, side roads snow covered from comments to the fb page. The rain from yesterday has turned to ice under the snow so watch for slick spots and be careful on those walkways, porches etc. High winds will pretty much stick with us much of the day.
8:12am – One noticeable item for this morning is that between 5am and 8am there have not been any EMS dispatched for a high volume of wrecks or major wrecks in the area per scanner feed. A sign that motorist either waited to travel or road conditions were not as bad as they could have been.
8:24am – Appalcart is on limited routes. Not going up to Meadow View Apartments, Bristol Rd, University Highlands or Watauga Campus of Caldwell Community College.
8:30am – power outages in Blue Ridge EMC service area – Watauga 663, Ashe 174, Caldwell 107, Wilkes 2, Avery 1
Updated article – Blue Ridge EMC linemen working on restoring outages
9:25am – main roads are fine, still slick on most side roads.
Trees glazed over in Boone
11:40am – power outages still a problem this morning – Watauga 409, Caldwell 108, Ashe 38, Avery 1
Dec 27, 11:41 AM
11:44am – main roads around the area are ok just wet. Some slick spots could still be found in side roads, gravel roads are still snow covered but drive able with 4X4
Trout Lake, photo by Kris Hartley
