Duke Monitoring Storm with Snow and Ice Possible Wednesday

Confidence increasing that storm will affect central NC through Wednesday night, with lingering impacts through rest of week

Prepare for winter weather

[Update: Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025: 3:30 p.m.]

Duke University and Duke University Health System will activate the severe weather and emergency conditions policy from noon Wednesday to noon Thursday.

Future updates will be posted on the DukeALERT website.

[Original Post]

Duke officials are closely monitoring weather conditions that call for accumulations between 2-3 inches of snow and ice across central North Carolina beginning Wednesday morning.

The latest forecasts indicate light snow could begin Wednesday morning, but the heaviest snowfall rates and quickest accumulations are expected from Wednesday afternoon through evening. Travel will become especially difficult and hazardous Wednesday afternoon with lingering impacts through the remainder of the week.

Freezing rain with accumulations of ice up to ¼ inch will be possible across for areas mainly to the south and east of Raleigh, with the heaviest ice accumulations from the I-95 corridor south of Wilson and eastward.

Duke crews are pre-treating campus streets, outdoor stairways, walkways and entries to parking facilities. Parking Garage 2 and Parking Garage 3 will be accessible to anyone with a medical center parking permit beginning at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday to allow for clearing of parking lots.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for central North Carolina until 10 a.m. Thursday. Duke will operate on a normal schedule on Tuesday, and Duke officials plan to make a decision for Wednesday regarding activation of the Severe Weather and Emergency Conditions policy by Tuesday evening based on the latest forecasts.

Given the likelihood of winter weather, staff members should review the Severe Weather and Emergency Conditions policy and discuss with their managers what they should do if it is activated.  

During times of severe weather, some staff positions require on-site presence to continue operations. To ensure continuous operations of patient care, student support and research functions, managers should assign all jobs to one of three service categories:

  • Essential Service: During severe weather or emergency conditions, essential service staff report or remain at work. Transportation service and childcare services may be provided for those required to work during severe weather or emergency conditions.
  • Reserve Service: During severe weather or emergency conditions, these staff are assigned a status at the time of the event.
  • Delayed Service: During severe weather or emergency conditions, these staff do not report to or remain at work.

If the policy is activated, the announcement will be made through the various DukeALERT channels, including email and text message. The announcement and updates also will be posted on the DukeALERT website and recorded on the severe weather/emergency conditions telephone line at 919-684-INFO (4636).

More information about the policy, a map of priorities for clearing roads, lots and sidewalks, and resources, is available on the Duke Emergency Management website. Future updates will be posted on Duke Today as well as X on Working@Duke as conditions warrant.

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