Snow and ice have created slick, dangerous driving conditions in and around Wake County. The snow is expected to melt and refreeze as temperatures drop into the 20s later tonight, which will create similar road conditions early Friday morning.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for portions of central North Carolina, which included Wake County, encouraging drivers to use extreme caution and avoid travel if possible.

Steve Abbott, assistant director of communications for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, advised students not to drive out onto the roads due to risks of accidents.

“If they’re out, they need to be very, very careful,” Abbott said. “Ideally, you don’t go out. You stay in until the ice starts to melt. If you go out, drive very slowly, don’t make any sudden movements, or jerk the wheel real fast.”

Abbott also recommended to drive slow and stay far behind vehicles to avoid collisions if cars were to spin-out or lose control, especially on frequent roundabouts on Hillsborough Street.

“If you start to slide, don’t jerk the wheel the other way,” Abbott said. “If you turn the wheel in the direction you’re sliding, quite often, you can regain control of the car. If you know you have to slow down, slow down earlier than you usually would.”

As of this afternoon, NC State will still be playing Wake Forest in basketball at 8 p.m. in PNC Arena. In a news conference, Gov. Roy Cooper urged students and fans to avoid driving and watch the game from home. Ticket exchange information can be found at 919-865-1510 or through TicketOffice@ncsu.edu.

The City of Raleigh also issued a safety alert advising drivers to use caution on the roads.