Team Charlotte Stepped Up during a Second Weekend of Winter Weather

Published on February 05, 2026

It's rare for Charlotte to see two winter storms in a row, but what's not rare is the hard work and dedication of Team Charlotte. We see it every day. However, in moments like these, when the safety of our residents is on the line, Charlotte shines brightest.

Last week, we recognized the hard work of our incredible employees in City Speaks, a biweekly email newsletter. Since then, Charlotte experienced another storm, giving us another opportunity to shout out these dedicated teams. Whether they were braving the elements out in the field or spending nights away from their families and sleeping in offices, Team Charlotte showed up. For us.

Please join us in thanking our amazing employees for all they did this past weekend.

The Charlotte Department of Transportation's Street Maintenance team treated/cleared over 13,000 miles of road, applying nearly 100,000 gallons of salt brine and over 3,500 tons of road salt. They received over 200 service requests and have been operating 24/7 since last Friday. Additionally, operational crews responded to 7 traffic signal issues, 3 down stop sign calls and assisted Duke Energy in replacing a broken utility pole. Across the board, the department addressed and resolved all storm-related issues. Thank you, CDOT!

Fleet Management opened over 180 work orders to ensure vehicles and equipment, including snow plows and fire trucks, were storm-ready. Four shops operated 24/7. One of the shops even provided assistance for an unhoused individual seeking shelter. Thank you, Fleet Management!

Charlotte Water employees braved the elements to ensure services remain functional for residents.

Charlotte Water also operated 24/7 and had 154 staff members working across 16 facilities to prepare and respond to the storm. Field operations crews worked 24-hour shifts to assist with 26 emergency repairs. Some employees even spent the night at the Irwin Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. This is the dedication we see from Charlotte Water day in and day out. What we don't see every day is a service technician pulling over to assist a crying child, but that's the magic of snow days... On the way back from a worksite, a Charlotte Water employee noticed a young child crying in front of a catch basin. The employee stopped to check on the situation and was informed by the child's parents that he had dropped his snowball maker into the catch basin. The Charlotte Water technician safely removed the grate from the catch basin and retrieved the snowball maker for the child. Talk about going above and beyond for our residents, no matter the conditions. Thank you, Charlotte Water!

CharMeck 311 received a total of 1,374 calls on Saturday and Sunday. That breaks down to 662 calls on Saturday with an Average Speed of Answer of 6 seconds and 712 calls on Sunday with an Average Speed of Answer of 2 seconds. General Information calls were primarily related to Solid Waste Services, Animal Care & Control and non-emergency police services. Thank you, 311!

Staff members from General Services' Landscape Management division were up all night and/or sleeping in offices to ensure the city's 33 facilities were clear of snow and ice. 23 of those facilities operate around the clock and must remain accessible at all times. Additionally, staff from the Facilities Operations division cleared sidewalks and parking lots at all cultural facilities, fire stations and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center while responding to 65 incidents, including urgent heating failures, triggered alarms and weather-related security issues. Thank you, Landscape Management & Facilities Operations!

CATS employees pose for a quick photo during their winter storm duties over the weekend.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) deployed eight two-car trains equipped with ice cutters and operated them around the clock from the start of the winter event through its conclusion. These vehicles operated on the Blue Line in both the North and South yards to ensure continued service. Between Saturday and Monday, the CATS Customer Service Call Center handled 938 calls. Additionally, frontline teams cleared Gold Line and Blue Line station platforms and transit facilities to ensure a safe restart of services. Thank you, CATS!

Animal Care & Control responded to an animal cruelty report called into 311 on Jan. 31. Officers arrived on the scene to discover two dogs tethered outside in winter conditions. The dogs were safely removed, a seizure letter was issued and an intent to forfeit ownership rights was documented. Now, "Mickey" and "Minnie" are safely in the care of the shelter, where they received medical attention and comfort. This is just one example of how ACC supported animals in need during the winter weather. They also provided a "Snowcation" program for 90 pets during the winter weather. Thank you, ACC!

Solid Waste Services had to delay collection service on Monday due to safety precautions, but employees were still out in the elements serving the community. From spreading salt through Uptown to plowing snow in Bobcats, Solid Waste Services jumped into action where they were needed. Thank you, Solid Waste Services!

CMPD (left) and Charlotte Fire (right) respond to service calls during the storm.

Of course, we can't forget about our first responders, who always step up in times of need. Charlotte Fire ran 1,124 service calls Friday through Sunday. They responded to 6 working fires, 1 second-alarm fire, 52 wrecks, 3 wrecks involving patients pinned and 1 water rescue. The busiest company of the weekend was Engine 22, which ran 54 calls. Additionally, CMPD responded to just under 500 traffic-related calls for service over the weekend. These calls ranged from crashes to road blockages and disabled vehicles. Thank you, Charlotte Fire and CMPD!

We also want to shout out the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which had a 300-member snow team onsite throughout the weather event to clear the airfield, roadways and pedestrian areas. Thank you, CLT!

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Thank you, Team Charlotte, from all of us who call the Queen City home.