Winter weather is looking likely for Friday, especially north and west of Raleigh, according to the WRAL Severe Weather Center.
Friday is a WRAL Weather Alert Day, and the state Department of Transportation is preparing to protect roads as best they can.
Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, is a WRAL Weather Alert Day
Precipitation begins early Friday, snow stays north of Raleigh
Models sped up the system on Thursday, meaning precipitation could start arrive a bit earlier.
Meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said overnight Thursday and into the Friday morning commute we’ll likely have a wintry mix from around the Triangle and points to the north, and then a cold rain for our southern communities.
Counties on the North Carolina-Virginia line could see some snow accumulate on bridges or grassy surfaces Friday morning.
The air in our northern counties should be cold enough to support a wintry mix of sleet and snow on Friday from about 3 a.m. through about noon.
“So the biggest impacts will likely come in
the first half of the day, and then it just changes over to kind of a nasty
cold rain,” Wilmoth said.
From Raleigh and south, this will amount to mostly a cold rain, meteorologist Mike Maze said.
Friday commute expected to be wet, tricky
Regardless of chilly rain or a wintry mix, we’re looking at impact to travel Friday.
That’s what DOT is preparing for, planning to spread brine — the salt and water mixture — on elevated road surfaces like bridges beginning Thursday afternoon.
“We will start brining tomorrow, once the temperature gets warm enough to do that,” DOT spokeswoman Kim Deaner said.
“There is a good possibility, if the forecast remains looking like it remains, that we will be brining (Interstate) 440 as well as Capital Boulevard and U.S. Highway 264,” she said. “We’re going to hit all our major interstates, especially elevated surfaces.”
DOT will also put staff on standby for Friday morning.
“We’re all going to be working extra to make sure that things are taken care of and the public is informed and safe on our roads,” Deaner said.
She said the safest plan, no matter the forecast or what falls, is to stay off the roads.
“If on Friday morning, we do wake up and … we’ve got some sketchy weather, people should just stay home if they can.”
