As meteorologists eye the sky for incoming wintry mix, the Town of Wake Forest isn't just sitting pretty—the community is locked and loaded for the flakes and ice. According to a public service announcement released today, a Winter Storm Warning blankets Wake County from this afternoon until Saturday morning, bringing with it up to two inches of snow and a perilous glaze of ice. In response, the city has unfurled a slew of closures and service alterations, bracing for whatever Jack Frost hurls their way.
Aiming to hedge against the frost, Wake Forest has preemptively canceled all Youth League Basketball games slated for this weekend. The policy, as stated, aligns with the Wake County Public School System's own weather moves—when schools shutter or dump kids early, PRCR games and practices get the ax, too. So says an official stir from the town's Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department. On a similar note, several community centers, like Joyner Park and Alston-Massenburg Center, are shutting down at 5 p.m. today and won't reopen until their usual time come Monday.
In the gridlock of icy roads and blustery conditions, transportation naturally takes a hit. The "Go Wake Forest" service is suspending its operations early today and won't start shuttling again until ten in the morning today—a seeming eternity for those who rely on its wheels. Similarly, the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre Box Office is closing up shop early this evening, and the Northern Wake Senior Center follows suit, while the Wake Forest Farmers Market shifts its Saturday hustle to a Sunday slot instead—provided the ice-gods play nice.
The brine trucks are out though, laying down their salty cure on slick spots across Wake Forest—NCDOT maintenance crews and town forces alike, hitting bridges, ramps, and roads with the good stuff. With over 300 tons of a sand-salt concoction and a fleet of trucks with plows, the town is essentially rolling up its sleeves, ready to plow through whatever the storm dishes out, all to keep their 156 miles of thoroughfare passable.
But for all the preparation, the Town of Wake Forest echoes a solemn plea: If you don't need to be out, stay home. Dodge the dangerous dance of icy roads and let police and responders do their thing without adding to the chaos. And if you must venture out, "first remove the ice and snow from your vehicle," especially those parts where ice might break free and torpedo into another motorist's day.
