The main roadways were passable, yet still treacherous for many Chatham County motorists on Monday morning.
Schools were closed. Businesses didn’t open or were shutting down early. For many, it was an official snow day, a time to stay off the road and sit in their warm homes.
But then there were the others, who for their own reasons, braved the hazardous roads on Monday.
GROCERY RUN
Tiffany Snipes and Teandra Alston were not anticipating on making a trip during the snow storm. Instead, with the snow still falling on Monday morning, the pair walked into the Siler City Walmart to shop for groceries.
“We did not really expect to be out in all of this,” Snipes said. “We thought we had bought everything we needed before the snow.”
Alston added, “We have family that we are taking care of, so we had to buy some groceries. You have to take care of your family.”
Alston said the pair had driven in a van and had avoided some “bad spots” on the roads. The North Carolina Highway Patrol responded to nearly 700 crashes statewide during the storm.
“We are going to try to get in and get out of here quick,” Snipes said.
COVERT SANTA
Unlike Snipes and Alston, Mike Sharpe planned his trip to Walmart because of the snowstorm.
“I actually came in to do some Christmas shopping,” Sharpe said. “I figured it would be quiet in here and I could take my time and look around. It beats fighting with the crowds.
“But when I got here, I realized I needed some groceries in the process.”
DUTY CALLS
For Travis Core, driving in the snow wasn’t a luxury, but rather a risk that comes along with his occupation.
On Monday morning, Core, a plumber, found himself walking into Lowe’s Home Improvement in Pittsboro to get supplies for a job.
“People’s pipes freeze up this time of the year, and especially in this weather,” he said. “Plumbers have to get out and fix them. If we can drive in it, we got to fix it.”
PREPARING FOR THE NEXT ONE
Chip Stockton of Chapel Hill was also heading into Lowe’s on Monday morning. He was looking past this snowstorm and preparing for potential inclement weather in upcoming weeks.
He said he hadn’t properly prepared for this weather event — his driveway and sidewalks had not been salted — but he pledged to be ready for the next one.
“I’m looking for a good snow shovel today to take care of my driveway,” he added. “I have a feeling, based on nothing other than my own gut feeling, that we are going to see a lot more of this stuff this winter.”
