Observer staff report
Ocracoke was a winter wonderland on Wednesday as a snowstorm named Enzo that has hammered the south brought sleet, snow and freezing temperatures to the island.
The National Weather Service reported that Ocracoke on Wednesday (Jan. 22) accumulated 8.3 inches of snow as of 6:50 a.m.
As the flurries continued throughout the day, islanders got out and about in the rare meteorological event.
The last time an appreciable snowfall occurred on the island was in January 2018, but some islanders claim that a snowstorm in 1989 was bigger. The winter of 2014 also had two significant snow storms.
Dave Tweedie, of Molasses Creek and executive director of Ocracoke Alive, declined an offered ride.
“I don’t get the chance to walk in the snow very often,” he said as he continued down Irvin Garrish Highway.
Snow persons popped up in yards and some children slid down the driveway at the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department building while others were seen having snowball fights.
NCDOT worker Shanon Eiben hopped to and used a front end loader to scrape the main streets, though ice covered them throughout the day and was expected to last into Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore closed its facilities and the ORV ramps to the beach. A number of vehicles got stuck, according to island Facebook posts. A decision to reopen the ramps will be made Thursday morning and communicated via ORV text alert and the Seashore’s Facebook page.”
A Cold Weather Advisory was in effect for all of Eastern NC until 10 a.m. Thursday. Minimum “Feels Like” temperatures were forecast to range from the single digits to the teens Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Cold temperatures in the upper 30s and 40s are expected to last into Sunday.
For information on the local forecast by the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City’s, visit www.weather.gov/moreheadcity/.
So I’m guessing most of the patios are closed?
“Snow persons”?? I guess Disney should update Frozen, though I’m not quite sure how catchy the tune would be if it was “Do you want to build a snow person?”
Great to see you on Bluesky!!!
Love the cemetery and salt photographs!
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