A crash involving an overturned tractor-trailer shut down a stretch of Interstate 85 northbound in Gaston County Sunday as icy conditions from Winter Storm Fern continue to grip the Charlotte area.
I-85 was closed at Exit 20 at New Hope Road, according to a Facebook post shortly after 4 p.m. from the Gastonia Fire Department. Officials have not released details on how the crash occurred, the name of the driver or whether any citations were issued. It is also unclear whether anyone was injured.
This image provided by the Gaston County Scanner Radio Facebook page shows an overturned tractor trailer on Interstate 85 in Gaston County near exit 20. That’s in northeast Gastonia and west of Charlotte. Gaston County Scanner Radio
The wreck comes as Winter Storm Fern covers the region sleet and ice, creating dangerous travel conditions across major roadways. Officials are urging drivers to avoid unnecessary travel and use extreme caution if they must be on the roads.
“Falling trees and large limbs could pose a threat to life and property,” an Ice Storm Warning for the Charlotte area from The National Service reads. “Ice covered roadways will become treacherous and impassable. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.”
Freezing rain and patchy fog are expected to continue Sunday, with highs near 28 and up to four-tenths of an inch of ice possible, forecasters say. Freezing rain could linger into early Sunday evening, adding another light glaze overnight before skies clear Monday, when highs reach the upper 30s, followed by a drop to around 11 degrees Monday night.
This story was originally published January 25, 2026 at 5:10 PM.
Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.
Traffic along Independence Blvd. is thinner following a wintry mix of ice, freezing rain and light show arrived in the Charlotte, NC area on Sunday, January 25, 2026. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Most roads in Mecklenburg, Anson, Cabarrus, Stanly and Union counties are “partially or completely covered in ice,” North Carolina Department of Transportation officials said Sunday.
“The good news is, we see temperatures starting to climb throughout the day today and even into the night,” said NCDOT Division 10 Maintenance Engineer Mike Mariano. “Tomorrow, we will start to see temperatures above freezing before it drops to the single digits Monday night. We will continue to make strides to re-establish our roads in our bare pavement system through the day and into the night.”
Charlotte is one of dozens of major cities affected by a winter storm making its way across the eastern half of the U.S. Weather forecasters expect up to an inch of sleet and around a half-inch of ice in the Charlotte area, with hazardous conditions lasting through Monday afternoon.
A city water utility truck rides down an icy-covered 36th Street in NoDa in Charlotte early Sunday morning on January 25, 2026. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
NCDOT’s live travel map at drivenc.gov showed no major incidents around midday Sunday, but winter precipitation is expected to continue falling throughout the day.
In the days leading up to the freeze, the department pretreated roads across the five-county division with approximately 183,250 gallons of brine, a mixture of salt and water. Saturday afternoon, crews began working in 12-hour shifts to apply more salt to roads to speed up melting.
NCDOT will deploy 195 trucks to “monitor and treat all bare pavement routes” until the storm passes and roads are clear, department officials said Sunday morning.
Officials warned residents to avoid travel, if possible, as hazardous conditions could persist “for several days.”
36th Street in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood is covered in a mix of frozen rain and sleet that fell overnight in Charlotte early Sunday morning on January 25, 2026. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
This story was originally published January 25, 2026 at 12:46 PM.
Rebecca Noel reports on education for The Charlotte Observer. She’s a native of Houston, Texas, and graduated from Rice University. She later received a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. When she’s not reporting, she enjoys reading, running and frequenting coffee shops around Charlotte.
Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend. The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South. The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama. The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast. Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia. Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.What’s causing this? A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.Florida impactsThis weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday. Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.First Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend.
The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South.
The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.
Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama.
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The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast.
Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia.
Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.
The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.
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What’s causing this?
A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.
Florida impacts
This weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday.
Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
Charlotte residents should gather food and supplies now and stay off roads beginning Saturday afternoon, when emergency response officials say the city will face one of the most impactful winter storms in years.
At a news conference Friday, officials stressed a long few days of widespread power outages and treacherous roads could lie ahead. Charlotte is expected to be one of the hardest hit big cities in the U.S. by the incoming winter storm, The Washington Post reported. Residents should create emergency plans now, officials said.
“This is not a snow storm. This is not a storm where we wanna go out and play, have our kids outside. We need people to stay off the roads or anywhere near the roads,” said Robert Wike Graham, deputy director of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management and division chief at Charlotte Fire.
Graham anticipates an increase in fires, rescues and emergency service responses. Staying at home when weather deteriorates will allow essential personnel to travel more safely to work.
Forecasters predict between a quarter of an inch and three-quarters of an inch of ice could coat Charlotte-area surfaces between Saturday and Monday morning. Snow could also be in the mix.
The two days of wintry precipitation could topple tree limbs and power lines, causing power outages and blocked roads across the county, officials said.
What residents can do to prepare for Charlotte winter storm
The storm will usher in below-freezing temperatures, which Graham said will cause pipes to burst. Residents should make sure they have enough water for several days.
Residents can prepare by building a kit full of emergency supplies, including flashlights, batteries, medical supplies, fully-charged cell phones and battery-operated radios, Graham said.
“Usually I tell people have two or three ways of getting news,” Graham said. “We encourage everybody to have emergency radio. The internet might be down.”
Residents should test their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors now and ensure they know how to operate backup generators if they have them. Generators should remain outside and at least 20 feet away from structures, Graham said.
Graham recommended nonperishable foods and cautioned residents not to cook indoors with items they don’t typically use. For example, keep charcoal stoves and turkey fryers outdoors.
Stocking up before the first precipitation falls on Saturday afternoon is key, officials said.
“Heed the warnings,” said Bret Balamucki, deputy chief at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. “Don’t become the victim yourself, and don’t create a victim by having emergency response have to come to you because you made a choice to go and do something that wasn’t a necessity.”
How is Charlotte preparing for winter storm?
Emergency personnel from salt truck drivers to firefighters will be increasing staff in response to the anticipated storm.
The Charlotte Department of Transportation began pretreating roads Thursday morning with salt brine and will shift to a 24-hour operation on Saturday, said Stephen Bolt, street superintendent with CDOT. Crews will shift their strategy toward fighting ice when the storm arrives tomorrow afternoon.
The city has “more than enough” salt on hand to respond this weekend, said Alfred Oyoyo, CDOT deputy street superintendent. CDOT crews will prioritize high-volume roads first.
“We will stay on shift until we completely remove the ice from primaries and our colelctor streets and focus on getting into neighborhoods as we can,” Bolt said.
Warming shelters are open across the county. Mecklenburg County expanded shelter capacity during the storm to ensure all who need a bed, have one, said Karen Peletier, director of community support at the county.
The landscape management division will handle roadway cleanup when residents report trees or large objects have fallen onto city property such as roads and sidewalks.
Residents can expect some wait times since there will likely be widespread damage, said Laurie Reid, the city arborist. Crews will clear downed trees from major roads first before clearing neighborhood streets, Reid said. Sidewalks will likely be cleared under normal operations next week.
Do not inspect fallen trees or attempt to cut them.
“It might be your first instinct to go inspect it and see what’s happening, but you don’t know if there’s any utility lines involved, so it’s really important to leave those trees alone and call somebody to deal with it,” Reid said. “It’s really important to allow this cleanup to happen by professionals that are out there.”
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Nick Sullivan is The Observer’s regional accountability reporter for York County and the South Carolina communities that border Charlotte. He studied journalism at the University of South Carolina, and he previously covered education for The Arizona Republic and The Colorado Springs Gazette.
As of Friday morning, forecasters were predicting anywhere from a quarter of an inch to just under an inch could form on surfaces between 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday.
National Weather Service map
Estimated ice accumulations continue to edge up as the Charlotte area braces for two days of snow, sleet and freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service.
As of Friday morning, forecasters are predicting anywhere from a quarter of an inch to three-quarters of an inch of ice could form on surfaces between 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday.
Snow is far less likely, with an inch or less expected in the region.
The arrival time of the storm also continues to change, with projections now calling for sleet to start late in the afternoon on Saturday, forecasters say.
Mostly snow is expected north of Interstate 40 and mostly freezing rain is expected to the south.
“This is subject to change as we get closer to the event due to the transition line between snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain,” the National Weather Service says.
“The biggest concern is the ice threat as the current forecast supports a crippling ice storm for a good portion of the area. Ice covered roadways will become treacherous and impassable. Widespread power outages are likely due to the weight of the ice on tree limbs and power lines. The outages could last for days in some areas. The hazardous conditions will impact the Monday morning commute.”
Extended power outages in subfreezing temperatures could result from the storm if power lines are impacted ice, AccuWeather meteorologists report. AccuWeather map
Sleet is expected to arrive in the Charlotte area around 5 p.m. Saturday, with wind gusts of around 23 mph. It will transition to a mix of sleet and freezing rain around 8 p.m. and “sleet could be heavy at times,” forecasters say. The low will be around 20.
On Sunday, there is a 100% chance of freezing rain and sleet that will continue through the night. Temperatures will again fall to around 20 degrees, forecasters say.
A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for both Carolinas and Gov. Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency for North Carolina.
“We urge people to get prepared now for what’s shaping up to be a very cold period for our state,” N.C. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson said in a news release.
“Please don’t try to drive once the storm hits unless it is necessary. Please protect yourselves, your families and everyone responding to this storm by being patient and playing it safe.”
Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.
