Guilford County Ends Winter Storm Fern State of Emergency Effective Jan. 27

Guilford County formally terminated the State of Emergency that had been in place for Winter Storm Fern, declaring that the conditions that prompted the Jan. 22 declaration “no longer exist” and setting the termination to take effect at 10:00 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2026. The action restores routine county authority while leaving some operational responses in place as crews finish clearing roads and restoring service.

The county termination document cites statutory authority under Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the North Carolina General Statutes and Article II of Chapter 7.5 of the Guilford County Code of Ordinances and restates the original grounds for the emergency: forecasted snow and ice accumulations, associated icy roads, downed power lines and trees, and power outages throughout the county. The proclamation notes the original declaration was issued on Jan. 22, 2026 at noon and was “declared this the 27th day of January 2026 at 9:00AM, effective at 10:00AM.” The printed document includes signature blocks for the Chairperson of the County Board of Commissioners and for the Clerk to the Board; the provided excerpt does not include printed names.

The termination covered the county’s entire jurisdiction, specifically listing the City of Greensboro, City of High Point and the towns of Gibsonville, Jamestown, Pleasant Garden, Sedalia, Stokesdale, Summerfield, Oak Ridge and Whitsett. County leaders and emergency planners are keeping some recovery operations active while road crews prioritize routes for clearing.

Local broadcast coverage carried county guidance aimed at residents returning to normal routines. “Officials in Guilford County say beginning at 10 a.m. today, the State of Emergency declared for all areas of the county will be terminated. They add that residents should continue be cautious of lingering debris, report any remaining hazards to local authorities, and check on neighbors who may need assistance.” The county also says its full emergency plan will remain in effect until priority one through three roads have been cleared, and officials point residents to an interactive snow map and posted meeting cancellations and changes for the latest operational details.

Utilities continued to deal with localized outages as recovery proceeded. A WXII timeline entry reported 742 people without power in Greensboro due to a Duke Energy line down near Young’s Mill Road and McConnell Road, with a company spokesperson saying power should be restored by 3:30 p.m. That figure and the restoration estimate were time-stamped in the broadcast feed and may change as crews complete repairs.

A regional news excerpt noted the county decision followed an earlier statewide declaration by Gov. Roy Cooper; that sequencing has been reported in media coverage and may be of interest to residents seeking state-level assistance or reimbursement guidance.

What this means for Guilford County residents is a shift from emergency posture back to recovery: normal county business resumes, but hazards remain. Check county communications for the interactive snow map and meeting updates, report downed lines or debris to local authorities, and help neighbors who may still be without heat or power as crews finish road clearing and utility restorations.