ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Drivers across Buncombe County encountered slick conditions Thursday morning as rain and a light dusting of snow led to widespread reports of black ice, possibly contributing to at least four crashes and multiple lane closures.
Motorists reported hazardous travel on major highways and secondary roads before daybreak. Several drivers said conditions were worse than they appeared, with black ice forming as temperatures hovered near freezing.
“Be careful out there. Roads are way worse than they look,” one person said in a social media post, adding that Interstate 240 eastbound through Asheville was also slick. Other drivers reported icy spots along Newfound Road, New Leicester Highway and Patton Avenue, urging motorists to slow down.
Emergency officials responded to a crash on New Leicester Highway (NC-63) near Mount Carmel Road in Leicester shortly before 6 a.m., where all eastbound lanes were closed.
A second crash was reported on Interstate 240 eastbound near Charlotte Street around 6:55 a.m., closing the right lane near Exit 5B (U.S. 70). Traffic delays were reported as crews worked the scene.
Elsewhere in Buncombe County, the on-ramp from NC-251 (Riverside Drive) to Interstate 26 East was closed in both directions following a crash reported at 7:50 a.m., according to traffic officials. The ramp closure was expected to have a medium impact on traffic and was scheduled to remain in effect until about 9 a.m.
Farther south in Henderson County, a crash on NC-191 (Old Haywood Road) near Hayes Ridge Lane closed one of two lanes in both directions near Mills River. The incident was reported at 7:43 a.m. and was expected to have a high impact on traffic. The lane closure was estimated to last until about 8:43 a.m.
Conditions appeared particularly hazardous in eastern Buncombe and McDowell counties. Broad River Fire & Rescue reported at 7:30 a.m. that Old Fort Road and N.C. 9 remained slick, with side roads covered by an estimated half inch to three-quarters of an inch of snow. Crews said steep areas, including Morgan Hill, were “extremely slick,” and noted that North Carolina Department of Transportation crews had not yet been observed treating N.C. 9.
Fire officials urged drivers to use extra caution, especially on curves and where runoff from side roads may refreeze.
Residents in several areas described roads as “slick as glass,” with at least one driver reporting a vehicle sliding sideways on a neighborhood street.
Forecasters warned that patches of black ice were possible early Thursday as temperatures remained below normal. Drivers were urged to use caution, reduce speeds and allow extra travel time until conditions improve later in the morning.
