It’s been over 20 years since an ice storm crippled the Charlotte region, and this weekend could be another major weather event for the history books.
While snow remains possible, freezing rain and ice could be the greatest threats Saturday and Sunday. The National Weather Service says up to an inch of ice could cause widespread, long-lasting power outages. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein issued a state of emergency on Wednesday.
The last time Charlotte had a crippling ice storm was in December 2002, when a half-inch of ice caused one of the most destructive storms in the state’s history. Roads were forced to close, power was out for days, and there were 24 storm-related deaths and 200 hospitalizations.
As the city prepares for the winter storm, Mecklenburg County staff and volunteers hit the streets Thursday morning for the annual point-in-time count. Volunteers fanned out across town from sidewalks, bus shelters and cars, counting the number of people experiencing homelessness. Last year, they found 444, 60 more people compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, North and South Carolina are experiencing a severe, more deadly flu season than last year. The latest data shows that there have been 67 deaths this flu season in South Carolina, almost triple the total at this time last year. In North Carolina, the state reports that 181 people have died of the flu, including three children. State health officials say that’s nearly twice the number of deaths from a year ago at this point.
Also, Mooresville held their first commissioners meeting since a former town employee alleged he was retaliated against for alerting his supervisors to a compromising video involving Mayor Chris Carney.
Our roundtable of reporters dives into those stories and more on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.
GUESTS:
Brad Panovich, chief Meteorologist at WCNC
David Hodges, investigative reporter at WBTV
Mary Ramsey, local government accountability reporter at the Charlotte Observer
Hunter Saenz, reporter at WSOC-TV
Zachary Turner, climate reporter at WFAE
