Photos: Monster snowstorm blankets the Carolinas, Virginia with feet of snow
A storm unloaded heavy snow and ice from North Carolina to central and southern Virginia, which caused widespread power outages, travel shutdowns and disruptions.
One person died after a tree fell on a car in Matthews, North Carolina, on Sunday afternoon. In South Carolina, three men were found dead after an accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Investigators found the men unconscious and not breathing as well as a generator inside the home.
There were over 670 collisions and over 1,500 service calls across North Carolina since the start of the storm, according to North Carolina Highway Patrol.
In Richmond, Virginia, 11.5 inches of snow fell at Richmond International Airport. This is the second highest calendar date snowfall for the month of December, according to the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Virginia. The highest was 15 inches in Dec. 22, 1908.
Snowstorm buries the Carolinas, Virginia
AP Photo/Garret Fischer
First, at vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui voluptatum.
(AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
Tervante Wilkerson trudges past a snow-plastered Bobcat on Old NC 98 in Wake Forest, N.C., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.
(Photo: D.K. Wall)
Up to 16 inches has already fallen near Waynesville, North Carolina.
(Photo/DurhamPolice)
Roads are treacherous around Durham, North Carolina. Several roads are closed with local police telling people to stay at home and off the roads if at all possible.
A plow works to clear the streets in Asheville, North Carolina.
(Photo/City of Asheville, North Carolina)
(AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
Tervante Wilkerson trudges through blowing snow up Old NC 98 in Wake Forest, N.C., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.
(AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
A car drives slowly down Old NC 98 in Wake Forest, N.C., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.
(Photo/Twitter user @W4sh)
A dog sits calmly in the fresh snow that has fallen in Cave Spring, Virginia.
(Photo/Twitter user @gabreitenauer)
Around 5 inches of snow had fallen early Sunday morning in Zebulon, North Carolina.
(Photo/Twitter user@CoachBilly1)
Some storm shelves were completely empty in Lincolnton, North Carolina, on Saturday, Dec. 8.
(Photo/Durham County Sheriff's Office)
At least 6 inches of snow was reported in Durham County, North Carolina, early Sunday morning.
(Photo/Twitter user @TravisGrizzle)
One resident measured 10 inches of snow in Weber City, Virginia, on Sunday, Dec. 9. 2018.
(Photo/Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Power lines were toppled by heavy snow around Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Sunday Dec. 9, 2018.
(Photo/Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
People walk along a snow-covered road in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.
(Photo/North Carolina National Guard)
Members of the National Guard from Greensboro head to Marion, NC to assist with vehicle recovery
(Photo/North Carolina National Guard)
(Photo/North Carolina National Guard)
(Photo/North Carolina National Guard)
(Image via NCDOT)
(Image via NCDOT)
(Image via Twitter/@DurhamSheriff)
(Image via Twitter/@LtCimbal046)
(Image via Twitter/@LtCimbal046)
(Image via Twitter/@LtCimbal046)
(Image via Ceiara Cartony)
(Image via Ceiara Cartony)
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
A snow-covered car is parked outside a home in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.
(Photo/ Prince George County Police Department)
A car was found overturned by the Prince George County Virginia Police Department.
(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
Snow continues to fall on Lake James, creating a layer of frosting on empty docks and the surrounding pine trees around the lake, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Morganton, N.C.
The storm was also the earliest on record that this much snow fell in Roanoke, Virginia.
As the winter storm is wrapping up, let's look back at how this compares to previous storms in December. This storm ranks as the earliest we have seen this much snowfall at all 5 of our climate sites & also ranks 2nd or 3rd for most snowfall from a single event recorded in Dec. pic.twitter.com/nfmIEhRrTm
— NWS Blacksburg (@NWSBlacksburg) December 10, 2018
Heavy, wet snow is causing tree limbs to sag and snap, which is leading to property damage and power outages.
As AccuWeather accurately predicted, some spots in the mountains of western North Carolina and southwestern Virginia picked up over 20 inches of snow as of Monday morning.
Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, received 34 inches of snow, the highest snow total reported from the storm.
The city of Bristol, Virginia, called in the state's National Guard to help motorists who were stranded on Interstate 81.
The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands. Over 200,000 remained without power in Virginia and North Carolina as of Monday morning. Tens of thousand may remain in the cold and dark into midweek.
Soldiers of the 105th Military Police Battalion are delivering water to assist civilians without power in remote areas of western, N.C. during #WinterStormDiego. #AlwaysThere pic.twitter.com/bP9U0FK0a4
— NC National Guard (@NCNationalGuard) December 10, 2018
@NWSBlacksburg 13" measured 1.5hrs ago in Grassy Meadows, WV. Pics from my aunt. Measured in center of table in pic. #wvwx pic.twitter.com/ztM3qSM1GP
— Clarence Bennett (@tvs7) December 9, 2018
@NWSBlacksburg here's our #shibainu Raider enjoying our 12-inches of #snow in Chatham, VA. @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/OcdjKpzwSB
— Matt Bell (@mbell390) December 9, 2018
Another snow total from my childhood home! Northern Danville, VA reporting close to 14" #Vawx @WDBJ7Weather @NWSBlacksburg Thanks for the photos mom! pic.twitter.com/a21vNAbMLc
— Ashley Athey (@VTWxAsh) December 9, 2018
