Severe Weather Updates

This page provides the latest information on Town of Wake Forest operations during severe weather. Announcements about town services are also provided in Town news releases and E-Alerts, through the Town app, and on Facebook.

Please bookmark this page, then during severe weather events check it often for updates as schedules are subject to change.

During significant weather events, this page is provided as a function of the Town of Wake Forest app.

Winter Weather Update
Thursday, Feb. 20 | 5:30 pm

Openings & Closings

• Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., will open Friday at 10 a.m.

• The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre Box Office, 405 S. Brooks St., will be open Friday from 1-5 p.m. Please note: Saturday’s Minority & Women-Owned Business Expo at the Renaissance Centre is on as scheduled from 1-4 p.m.

• Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St., and Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St., will be open noon-8 p.m. Friday, then resume normal hours of operation Saturday (8 a.m.-4 p.m.). 

• Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 E. Holding Ave., and Meals on Wheels will be closed Friday. Meals will not be delivered to home-delivered clients.
   

Schedule Changes

• Go Wake Forest suspended service on Thursday and will delay the start of Friday service until 10 a.m.

• Thursday's Board of Adjustment meeting has been canceled.

• Friday's Black History Month Walking Tour has been canceled.
  
  

Solid Waste 

• Due to icy road conditions, Republic Services (RS) will not operate on Friday.

• RS will service the Thursday and Friday trash collection routes on Saturday, Feb. 22.

• RS will not service the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday recycling collection routes this week. Those routes will be serviced next week (February 26-28) according to the normal operations schedule.

• Yard waste collection will resume Friday.

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources

• All PRCR programs scheduled for Thursday and Friday have been canceled.

• All youth basketball games scheduled for Thursday have been canceled and will be rescheduled. No games or practices are scheduled for Friday.

• NOTE: The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department's inclement weather policy states that whenever inclement weather conditions force the Wake County Public School System to close schools or implement an early release, then all PRCR games and practices will be canceled at all sites. 
  
  

Wake Forest Power

• No power outages have been reported. Wake Forest Power works to minimize storm impacts year-round through preventive maintenance, including trimming of trees around Wake Forest’s 140 miles of overhead electric distribution lines.
  
  
  

Winter Weather Update
Thursday, Feb. 20 | 7 am

Road Conditions

Wake Forest Police say roads are icy and extremely dangerous. Residents are strongly encouraged to stay inside.

Since noon Wednesday, officers have responded to several weather-related crashes. Fortunately, none involved serious injuries.

The portion of Durham Road/NC 98 between Tyler Run Drive and South Wingate Street continues to cause major problems for motorists as several disabled vehicles have been reported in this area.

Again, residents are urged to stay off the roads. When you venture out on the roads, you not only put yourself at risk, but you also put others in jeopardy. Then, if you are involved in an accident, police officers and first responders are at risk. You can help yourself, your neighbors, law enforcement and first responders by simply staying off the roads.

If you must venture out, first remove the ice and snow from your vehicle, particularly from the hood, windows, and roof. Ice and snow that dislodges from a moving vehicle can create hazardous driving conditions for other vehicles resulting in property damage and/or injury.

Also, while driving, turn on your headlights, and give extra following distance to allow more stopping time on slippery surfaces.

Winter Weather Update
Wednesday, Feb. 19 | 8 pm

Winter Weather Update - closings & schedule changes

Openings & Closings

• The Wake Forest Town Hall will open at noon Thursday, Feb. 20.

• Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St., Wake Forest Community House, 133 W. Owen Ave., and Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St., will be closed Thursday. 

• Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., will be closed Thursday. All classes have been canceled and will be rescheduled.

• Northern Wake Senior Center and Meals on Wheels will be closed Thursday. Meals will not be delivered to home-delivered clients.
  
  

Schedule Changes

• Thursday's Board of Adjustment meeting has been canceled.

• UPDATE - Go Wake Forest will suspend service on Thursday. 
  
  

Solid Waste

• Thursday's curbside trash and recycling collections have been canceled. As a result, the Thursday and Friday routes will be collected one day later than normal and extend into Saturday. So, Thursday’s route will be collected Friday and Friday’s route will be collected Saturday.

• Wednesday's recycling route will be run Wednesday, Feb. 26. 

• Yard Waste collection will be suspended on Thursday.
  
  

Road Conditions

According to Wake Forest Police, road conditions are deteriorating, especially along Durham Road/NC 98.

Residents are strongly encouraged to stay off the roads. If you must go out, proceed with caution. Before driving, remove the ice and snow from your vehicle, particularly from the hood, windows and roof. Ice and snow that dislodges from a moving vehicle can create hazardous driving conditions for other vehicles resulting in property damage and/or injury. While driving, turn on your headlights, and give extra following distance to allow more stopping time on slippery surfaces. 

Attention Pedestrians 

When you're out and about, please walk along sidewalks, not in the street and roadway. During winter weather events, Police often witness pedestrians walking in the middle of the road. During wintry weather, your chances of being struck by a motorist are much greater due to poor visibility and icy road conditions. 

Winter Weather Update
Tuesday, Feb. 18 | 5 pm

The Town of Wake Forest is monitoring the inclement weather forecast for our area. 

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Wake County from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 10 am. Thursday.

Mixed precipitation is expected with total snow and sleet accumulations of up to three inches possible.

Wake Forest preparing for wintry weather, service changes & closures announced

Closings & Schedule Changes

Due to the forecast, the following Wake Forest programs, services, and facilities are impacted:

• Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St., Wake Forest Community House, 133 W. Owen Ave., and Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St., will be closed Wednesday. 

• Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 E. Holding Ave., and Meals on Wheels will be closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. For updates, call 919-554-4111.

• The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., will be closed. Tickets can be purchased online.

• All youth basketball games and practices scheduled for Wednesday have been canceled and will be rescheduled. PLEASE NOTE: The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department's inclement weather policy states that whenever inclement weather conditions force the Wake County Public School System to close schools or implement an early release, then all PRCR games and practices will be canceled at all sites. 

• Wednesday's Musical Theater Workshop at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., is canceled.

• Go Wake Forest will suspend service Wednesday, Feb. 19, at noon. 
  
  

Solid Waste

• Wednesday’s recycling collection has been canceled, so crews can focus on trash collection.

• Beginning at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Republic Services will dedicate 13 trucks (five more than usual) to Wednesday’s trash collection route. Republic’s goal is to complete as much of Wednesday’s route as possible before the winter weather arrives causing hazardous road conditions. Residents on the Wednesday trash collection route are urged to leave their rollout trash carts at the curb by 6 a.m. Wednesday.

• Yard waste collection will run according to the normal schedule unless or until road conditions become hazardous.

• Additional information will be provided as it becomes available, including updates to this week’s recycling collection schedule.
  
  

Town Hall

• The Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Town officials will monitor conditions throughout the day and make schedule adjustments as necessary.
  
  

How Public Works...works

On Monday, crews began applying brine to Wake Forest bridges, overpasses, and traditional slick spots. Staff will continue such preparations through Tuesday evening.

Once snow accumulates on the roads, crews will spread salt and sand on town-owned primary and secondary roads as needed. After two-to-four inches of snow accumulates, crews of 10 will use six plows to begin clearing primary roads in 12-hour shifts. They will continue plowing town-owned primary roads until they are passable. Crews will then transition to town-owned secondary roads before moving to residential streets as a last priority. This Powell Bill Map identifies NCDOT-maintained roads and Town-owned roads.

It is important to note that as snow amounts fluctuate, crews will move back and forth between primary and secondary roads. Based on this forecast, you can expect that the street in front of your home will not be plowed until Thursday evening or Friday morning.

You can help us be safe and move more quickly by staying off the road, moving your car into your driveway, and being prepared to stay home for the next three days.  

Winter Weather Update
Monday, Feb. 17 | 1 pm

With weather forecasters calling for the possibility of frozen precipitation on Wednesday and Thursday, the Town of Wake Forest is fully prepared should wintry weather affect our community. Forecasters say snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all possibilities from Wednesday morning through Thursday morning. 

Town facilities will operate on a normal schedule unless announced otherwise. Any changes will be announced via the Town’s normal communications channels.

Public Works

In anticipation of this winter event, on Monday crews began applying brine to Wake Forest bridges, overpasses, and traditional slick spots. Based on the current forecast, staff anticipate continuing preparations at least through Tuesday evening.

Brine is a salt and water mixture. The use of brine uses less salt since it is applied in liquid form, and the salt can begin to work immediately. Unlike rock salt which can roll off or be blown off hard surfaces, brine bonds to the pavement. It is also more effective than solid salt in lower temperatures. Once ice forms on roads, crews spread a mixture of salt and sand to melt the ice.

Wake Forest has over 300 tons of sand/salt mix supply on site, along with eight truck-mounted plows, one motor grader and two backhoes available to clear Wake Forest's 156 miles of roads. Crews are positioned to respond around the clock until this event has ended and roads are safe.

In the event of ice or snow, crews will clear thoroughfares and primary roads first. Motorists are urged not to park on the street, so plows and other Town equipment can effectively service the area. The Town does not clear school parking lots or private parking lots, including those in apartment and condominium complexes or at businesses.