LUMBERTON — So far, so good.

Threats of freezing rain Thursday night and this morning largely left Robeson County alone — albeit soggy — but there could be icy stuff and maybe even snow on the way.

The absence of the worst did not keep Robeson County from preparing for it, as schools were out and people flocked to grocery stores to stock up just in case.

Forecasts are calling for freezing rain to linger through 1 p.m. today, when a winter storm warning for the area expires, and for possible snow flurries on Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, less than an inch of snow and ice are expected to accumulate in Robeson County through Sunday evening.

But worries of slick roads, power outages and downed limbs caused classes to be canceled today for the Public Schools of Robeson County, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Robeson Community College. All sporting events scheduled for Friday were moved to Thursday or postponed to a later date.

One local government, Red Springs, told its employees to report today on a two-hour delay.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation in an 8 a.m. update said there were no reports so far of icy roads in Robeson County, where 22 DOT employees worked overnight monitoring conditions. They had spent the last couple of days brining major roads, especially bridges that get slippery quickly.

“So far we are not finding any trouble spots yet but the plans today are to stay on our bare pavement routes,” the department posted on its Facebook page.

The state Highway Patrol’s 1st Sgt. Jeremy Brewington said there had been no serious accidents overnight in Robeson.

“As far as we know the roadways appear to be clear, just wet. There may be some icing on bridges,” he said.

Duke Energy and Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation are showing no power outages for Robeson County. Ice typically begins to pose a threat to tree limbs and power lines with a quarter-inch or more of accumulation.

The winter storm warning in effect for Robeson and Bladen counties and the South Carolina counties of Marlboro, Darlington and Dillon calls for up to a quarter of an inch of freezing rain to accumulate by midday toiday.

In Lumberton today there is a 100 percent chance of precipitation, with rain likely to follow any additional freezing rain. Temperatures may reach a high of 38 degrees. Tonight, temperatures should remain above freezing — meaning more rain and not frozen stuff.

Saturday should bring a wintry mix of rain, snow and sleet, with little or no accumulation expected.

There’s a 50 percent chance of precipitation and temperatures are expected to top out at 36 degrees. The chance for snow will gradually decrease overnight, as will temperatures — the low for Saturday night is 28 degrees.

Sunday will earn its name with sunny skies and a high of 44 degrees.

Other parts of the East Coast didn’t fare as well as Robeson.

Across North Carolina, nearly 2,300 Duke Energy customers were without electricity early today, mostly in Gaston County. Western North Carolina is preparing for as much as 2 feet of snow, while flurries were falling this morning in Raleigh and Greensboro. American Airlines cancelled more than 650 flights into and out of its hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, Duke and Wake Forest universities canceled classes today because of the storm.

The storm is shaping up to be a historic blizzard for parts of the mid-Atlantic. States of emergency were declared in Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. According to the Associated Press, Washington could get 2 feet of snow, while Philadelphia could see as much as 18 inches and New York could get a foot.

Jaymie Baxley | The Robesonian | A sign warns motorists traveling along Interstate 95 of a winter weather warning in effect for the area. Forecasts are calling for freezing rain to linger through 1 p.m. today, when a winter storm warning for the area expires, and for possible snow flurries on Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, less than an inch of snow and ice are expected to accumulate in Robeson County through Sunday evening.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1__IMG4638.jpgJaymie Baxley | The Robesonian | A sign warns motorists traveling along Interstate 95 of a winter weather warning in effect for the area. Forecasts are calling for freezing rain to linger through 1 p.m. today, when a winter storm warning for the area expires, and for possible snow flurries on Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, less than an inch of snow and ice are expected to accumulate in Robeson County through Sunday evening.
Still a chance of some ice, perhaps even snow.

By Sarah Willets

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Sarah Willets can be reached at 910-816-1974 or on Twitter @Sarah_Willets.