News

Deep freeze ensures ice will stay around for days

Cabin Creek Road was covered in ice early Sunday. [AMY B. MCCRAW/Hendersonville Lightning]

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 25, 2026

An overnight ice storm left many roads impassable, but a relatively small percentage of homes and businesses without power, as the area remained under the ice storm warning through 1 p.m. Monday.

The cancellations have begun rolling in: Henderson County schools, Henderson County non-emergency offices (including libraries, transfer station and recycling center) and the city of Hendersonville are closed Monday.

The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for Henderson, Transylvania, Buncombe, Graham, Macon and southern Jackson counties, warning of frigid wind chills.

"The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 5 below zero could result in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions are not
taken," the NWS said. "Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat and gloves. Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside."

At mid-day Sunday, the storm had cut power to 1,301 customers in Henderson County, 1,369 in Transylvania  and 1,243 in Buncombe. Around 8,000 customers were without power across the region, Duke Energy reported.

The deep freeze means road conditions are unlikely to improve much in the coming days. The forecast calls for lows of 19 tonight, 6 Monday night and 16 Tuesday night. In other updates:

• A state of emergency for Henderson County issued Saturday will continue until emergency service officials advise otherwise. The mayors of Hendersonville, Fletcher, Laurel Park, Flat Rock and Mills River also declared states of emergency.

• The city of Hendersonville imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. Saturday to dawn Sunday and after that from dusk to dawn until the emergency is over. Public works crews will be on duty around the clock to clear roads. Advisory: "Emergency personnel recommend residents monitor local weather reports and limit travel before road conditions become dangerous. When roads are unsafe, stay home. Remember to call 911 only for actual emergencies. Do not call 911 or emergency services phone lines to ask about road conditions or power outage updates. You can visit DriveNC.gov or the Duke Energy website for road and power updates. Please leave 911 lines available for true emergencies."

• Henderson County opened an emergency shelter at the county’s Athletics and Activities Center at 708 South Grove St. at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24. It will remain open until it is safe for residents to return home. People going to the shelter are asked to bring essential items if they are able, including medications (and medical devices you rely on), toiletries and personal hygiene items, warm clothing and sturdy shoes, cell phone and charger, important personal items (glasses, hearing aids, etc.). People with pets are asked to bring pet food, medications and a leash or carrier. Emergency shelters are safe places, but they may be crowded, and resources can be limited. Bringing these essentials helps ensure the comfort and continuity of care of the people in the shelter, the county said. A non-emergency call center line is now available: 828-435-2030.

• The Town of Laurel Park warned residents to avoid travel and discouraged parking on roads and cul de sacs so snow plows could clear roadways.
• The National Park Service plans to close parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway. "Based on current forecasts, park visitors can expect closures parkwide beginning the evening of Friday, Jan. 23," the NPS said in a news release. "Park visitors and neighbors should expect closed gates, as well as barricades in ungated sections. Due to the severity of the storm and anticipated widespread impacts, including potential delays in emergency response, winter recreation on the parkway during this storm is strongly discouraged. Closures are expected to remain in place until staff can safely assess road conditions and clear any storm debris."
• The premiere showing of The Chapel Hill Two-Step, a documentary film featuring Hendersonville High School's 1987 and 1992 basketball championships scheduled for Jan. 29, has been cancelled due to the threat of severe weather.  A reschedule date will be announced in the future.
• The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will activate its hotline Saturday, Jan. 24, to connect farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agricultural emergencies related to the storm. The toll-free number is 1-866-645-9403. A live operator will be available on the hotline Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Monday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• UNC Health Pardee announced that all urgent care locations are closed Sunday. Pardee Pain Center will be closed Monday. These practices and facilities will operate on special hours, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: All physician offices, Pardee Cancer Center, Outpatient Radiology, Lab and Infusion, all UNC Health Pardee business offices. All practices will contact patients to cancel and reschedule appointments. As a reminder, Pardee Hospital and the Emergency Department remain open 24 hours/day. The public is encouraged to check pardeehospital.org and social media channels for additional updates. 

Here's the forecast from the National Weather Service:

• Sunday: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 7pm. Patchy fog between 11pm and 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 19. Light and variable wind becoming north northwest 8 to 13 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Monday: Sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
• Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -2. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 39. Light and variable wind becoming west southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 16.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.
• Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 13.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 31.
• Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 12.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.