This story has been updated with the latest school closures and delays.
Wintry weather, high winds and freezing temperatures have struck Western North Carolina in the first few weeks of 2026, triggering delays, closures and remote learning days for schools and agencies in the mountains.
Areas in the North Carolina mountains were hit by cold temperatures and wintry weather late on Wednesday, Jan. 14, into the morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 15, causing delays at schools in multiple counties and making it difficult for some buses to go down some of the roads that often see icy conditions before others…