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Winter Weather Update – openings, closings & schedule changes

Member for

7 years
January 26, 2026
  • Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., will open at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27. 
  • Most other Town facilities, including Joyner Park Community Center, Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, and Wake Forest Center for Active Aging, will open at 11 a.m.
  • Republic Services (RS) will resume trash and recycling collection on Tuesday beginning with Monday’s routes. Curbside collections will be delayed by one day for the week of January 26 and extend into Saturday.
  • Go Wake Forest service will resume Tuesday at 10 a.m. 
  • Duke Energy issued a scam alert involving fraudulent text messages.

WAKE FOREST, NC – Winter Storm Fern may be history, but its impacts linger. Although most primary and secondary roads have improved, ice that melted today will refreeze overnight. Temperatures will drop overnight into the teens, so anything wet on hard surfaces - especially bridges and overpasses – will refreeze, creating hazardous travel conditions. As a result, patchy black ice is expected to be a major concern over the next few mornings and evenings.

Police officials say accidents often happen when drivers are lulled into a false sense of security and go too fast. They hit a slick spot and spin out. So please, slow down and proceed with extreme caution.

If you must venture out, slow down, avoid using cruise control, use your low-beam headlights to better see icy pavement, and give extra following distance to allow more stopping time. Also, before you drive, 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. 

Openings & Closings

  • Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., will open at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27. 
  • Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St., Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St., and Wake Forest Community House, 133 W. Owen Ave., will open Tuesday at 11 a.m.  
  • Wake Forest Center for Active Aging, 235 E. Holding Ave., will open Tuesday at 11 a.m., but Meals on Wheels will be closed. Meals will not be delivered to home-delivered clients. For updates on Meals on Wheels, visit WakeMOW.org.
  • Wake County closed the emergency shelter at Heritage High School, 1150 Forestville Road, Monday at noon. 

Schedule Changes

  • Republic Services will resume trash and recycling collection on Tuesday beginning with Monday’s routes. The Tuesday through Friday routes will also be collected one day later than normal and extend into Saturday, so (for example) Tuesday’s route will be collected Wednesday and Friday’s route will be collected Saturday. 
  • Yard waste collection will resume Tuesday. Crews will follow the normal collection schedule beginning with Monday’s route. Collection of the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday routes will occur throughout the remainder of the week until all routes have been completed.
  • Bulk waste collection will occur on Wednesday, Jan. 28. 
  • Go Wake Forest service will resume Tuesday at 10 a.m. 
  • The Wake Forest-Raleigh Express will resume service Tuesday at 8 a.m.
  • All PRCR youth basketball games scheduled for Tuesday have been canceled.
    • 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. 
  • Tuesday’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting has been canceled. The Public Hearing for COA 23-06, originally scheduled for Tuesday's meeting, has been rescheduled for the HPC meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24. 

Public Works

Crews are treating Town-owned roads by plowing primary and main streets within neighborhoods and spreading sand and salt along main thoroughfares and historically icy areas.

Community members are urged not to park on the street, so plows and other Town equipment can effectively service the area. As a reminder, the Town does not clear school parking lots or private parking lots, including those in apartment and condominium complexes or at businesses.

Wake Forest Power

No power outages have been reported. 

Low temperatures will be in the teens over the next several days. As a result, Wake Forest Power customers are encouraged to help lower peak electricity demand by reducing their power usage during on-peak hours (6-8 a.m. in the winter). 

Ways to lower peak demand include utilizing smart/programmable thermostats, improving efficiency with LED lighting, and shifting appliance usage to off-peak hours. Major electrical appliances that may contribute to high demand costs include the clothes dryer, water heater, electric range, and oven. Also, make a conscious effort to turn off lights and unplug electronics during on-peak hours. This not only conserves energy but will also help to trim your electricity bill.

Scam Alert for Duke Energy Customers

Fraudulent text messages are being sent that appear to be from Duke Energy, but they are not. If you receive one like this, do not respond or click any links. Please share to help protect others. 

Duke Energy is aware of the scam targeting utility customers claiming they will be impacted by a scheduled power outage. This message did not come from Duke Energy. 

Customers should avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from businesses or individuals they do not know, and they should contact Duke Energy, at 1-800-777-9898 between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., directly to discuss their account or visit company communications channels for the latest updates. 

When to call 911

Residents are reminded not to call 911 unless there is an emergency posing an immediate threat to life, health, or property. Similarly, residents should not report icy road conditions via SeeClickFix. All non-emergency calls, including reports of icy road conditions and immediate needs for service, should be placed to 919-554-6150.

​Stay Informed

When severe weather occurs, the Town issues regular updates through a variety of means. To stay informed residents can: