Weather

Winter Storm Gianna Hits Cherryville and Piedmont NC Area

Near White-Out Conditions

Posted Saturday, January 31, 2026 2:35 pm

By: Rusty Wise - Wise News Network

Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Winter Storm Gianna arrived around 4 AM this morning, Saturday, January 31st, 2026, in the Cherryville and Piedmont area of NC. Heavy snow is accumulating quickly, at times in near-whiteout conditions. Temperatures quickly dropped to approximately 20 degrees at 12 noon with wind gusts at 25 miles per hour. Heavy snow is expected throughout this afternoon and evening. Wind chills could reach -5 degrees.

Officials, such as Chris King, Cherryville's Public Works Director, asked that people not park on the streets to make plowing easier. Parking on the street may make getting vehicles out harder with snow plowed up around them. With wind chills below zero, people should use extreme caution when outdoors. Driving should be avoided at all costs as cars are running off the roads. One such incident happened shortly after noon today, when a car missed the exit and drove into a ditch at the Food Lion in Cherryville, NC, on Hwy 150 West. The driver appeared unhurt, and passers pulled the vehicle out shortly after.

Weather reports indicate that up to a foot of snow could fall in the Piedmont, including Gaston and Mecklenburg counties in NC. Cherryville has received approximately 5 inches of snow as of 2:00 PM today.