As North Carolina braces for a second widespread winter storm in less than a month, Governor Roy Cooper today declared a state of emergency and urged North Carolinians to stay off the roads when travel becomes dangerous.
“Nearly all of North Carolina will be impacted by this winter storm, and we’re making sure North Carolina is ready,” Gov. Cooper said. “I urge all of our residents to be prepared and to stay safe.”
Meteorologists are predicting at least one to two inches of snow for nearly the entire state. Portions of central North Carolina are expected to see two to four inches with locally higher amounts of five to six inches in some areas. Forecasts call for the skies to clear by Wednesday night across much of the state, but below freezing temperatures mean we can expect hazardous travel conditions to continue through Thursday morning.
Gov. Cooper declared a state of emergency to enable emergency management to assist with storm response and recovery. The declaration also triggers state law against charging excessive prices during an emergency. He also issued an executive order waiving truck weight, size and hours of service restrictions to ease movement of supplies and equipment.
To check on storm preparations, Gov. Cooper today visited DOT Maintenance Yards in Yadkin and Forsyth counties. He thanked road crews and first responders for their work, and urged residents to not to travel once roads become treacherous unless absolutely necessary.
“Unnecessary travel not only puts you at risk, but it can also put our first responders’ lives at risk if you end up needing help,” Gov. Cooper said. “And the more vehicles we have on the road, the tougher it is for our DOT crews to treat and clear those roads and get them open again.”
North Carolina will activate the State Emergency Operations Center Wednesday morning to coordinate storm response throughout the impacted areas. Other storm preparations include:
- NCDOT crews have applied more than 1.7 million gallons of salt brine across roadways in 52 counties and have crews and equipment ready to clear ice and snow.
- State troopers will mark abandoned vehicles along the roadway and coordinate with local law enforcement to ensure no one is stranded.
- State troopers and transportation crews will work to clear disabled vehicles quickly so they don’t impede traffic.
- Adverse weather policy is in effect for state employees. State employees should coordinate with their supervisors.
Follow NC Emergency Management and NCDOT on Facebook and Twitter for the latest storm updates. Real-time weather and road conditions, as well as winter safety tips, can be found on the free ReadyNC mobile app or online at readync.org.
Travelers are urged to go to drivenc.gov for up-to-date roadway conditions. Motorists are reminded NOT to call 911 or the State Highway Patrol Communication Centers for roadway conditions.