Governor McCrory said North Carolina’s State Emergency Response Team is preparing for the approaching winter storm and recommended that residents do the same.
“We are working with all necessary departments and local emergency management crews to keep residents safe and informed regarding potentially hazardous weather conditions," said Governor McCrory. “We’re asking that each resident and family do the same by paying attention to the weather forecast and following instructions from local officials.”
This morning, Governor McCrory signed two executive orders to expedite storm response. The State of Emergency declaration enables the governor to mobilize the necessary resources to respond to a storm and is the first step in seeking federal funds to help defray eligible storm-related costs. A second executive order waives restrictions on weight and the hours of service for fuel, utility and other truck drivers that may be working to deliver supplies, restore services or clear storm debris.
Governor McCrory also activated the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate storm response and directed the State Highway Patrol to coordinate with other law enforcement and emergency responders statewide to mark abandoned vehicles to ensure that no one is left stranded in the dangerous weather. Additionally, he reminded motorists of the state’s quick clearance policy, instructing state transportation crews to clear the road by pushing to the shoulder any vehicles that may impede traffic.
Weather forecasts call for snow to begin mid-afternoon across much of the state, starting in the western part of the state and moving east. Predicted snow accumulations vary from two to four inches in the Foothills, Triad and Virginia-border counties and one to two inches in the greater Charlotte and Triangle areas, as well as the northeastern counties. By 8 p.m. sleet and freezing rain will cover much of the state and will continue through until tomorrow morning.
With the low temperatures, the sleet and freezing rain will accumulate as ice making roads treacherous and coating trees and power lines. Accumulations of one-quarter inch or more on trees and power lines often leads to power outages.
The Highway Patrol is shifting resources to cover potential trouble spots. And troopers will be actively looking for abandoned vehicles and tagging cars to ensure motorist safety. Additionally, National Guard troops are on standby and prepared to respond as needed.
NCDOT has been working proactively in advance of winter weather, with nearly 1,300 workers and nearly 500 trucks distributing more than 1.3 million gallons of salt brine across the state’s roadways. Crews throughout North Carolina will be working throughout the afternoon and overnight proactively putting down salt and sand and clearing roads.
“Our dedicated crews have already been out in full force to prepare for this storm,” said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata. “We will be monitoring conditions and working around the clock to clear our roadways, and we urge everyone to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.”
Real-time weather and road conditions and shelter openings, as well as winter safety tips, can be found on the free ReadyNC mobile app or on line at www.readync.org web site.
Travelers are urged to call 511 or go to www.ncdot.org for up to date roadway conditions. Motorists are reminded not to call 911 or the State Highway Patrol Communication Centers for roadway conditions.
Highway patrol
With the potential of winter and the possibility that motorists may have to drive in inclement weather, the Highway Patrol is offering simple and safe driving tips.
The weather in North Carolina is often times unpredictable and this time of year you never know when to expect black ice, snow, icy roads or a mixture of road conditions. The Highway Patrol is asking motorists to be prepared as the potential winter storm approaches.
"Winter weather brings new obstacles and responsibilities that the motoring public will experience anytime inclement weather moves into our state. Despite a rather mild winter so far, North Carolina's weather can often change from one day to the next,” says Patrol spokesman Jeff Gordon. "It's important that we monitor this weather system and plan accordingly."
Here are a few simple steps to help keep you on the road and less anxious:
Avoid travel unless necessary when winter weather is in your area.
Decrease speed.
Wear your seatbelt.
Driving Considerations
Leave Early — allow more travel time; expect delays.
Increase distance between vehicles — it takes significantly longer to stop on snow covered or icy roadways.
Clear all windows on your vehicle prior to travel — having unobstructed vision is vital to avoid running off of the road or having a collision.
Illuminate your vehicle headlamps.
Use caution on bridges and overpasses as they susceptible to freezing before roadways.
Avoid using cruise control — cruise can cause the vehicle's wheels to continue turning on a slippery surface when speed needs to be decreased.
Be Prepared -—ensure your vehicle has a full tank of gas in the event you are stranded for an extended period of time.
Charge your cellular phone prior to departure.
Take a blanket.
Notify a family member or a friend of your travel plans prior to departure — if your travel is interrupted, someone will know.
Collision Information — first, be patient. Winter weather also limits our capabilities and increases our response time; also, keep in mind that troopers will be experiencing a high volume of requests for service.
Attempt to move your vehicle out of the roadway if you are involved in a minor, non-injury traffic collision; especially if you are in a dangerous area such as a curve or a blind hill.
If your vehicle is stranded or wrecked but not in the roadway, attempts to recover your vehicle will have to wait until conditions improve for safety considerations.
Road Conditions — to check the status of road conditions, motorists are asked to go to the Department of Transportation's website.
The public is not advised to dial 911 or the Highway Patrol Communication Centers for road conditions.
However, citizens can contribute to highway safety by reporting erratic drivers to the Highway Patrol by dialing *Hp or *47 on their cellular phones. Callers will remain anonymous and should give a description of the vehicle, location, direction of travel and license number if possible.
Dominion Power
Meanwhile, Dominion Virginia Power is prepared for a winter storm expected to move through much of Virginia Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning. Crews are ready to respond to outages, trucks are stocked, and additional resources are available if needed.
As Dominion prepares it also urges its customers to do the same:
Establish an online “Manage Your Account” (MYA) with Dominion at www.dom.com and update it with your telephone number, including your cell phone number. This will ensure the accurate reporting of your power outage.
Sign up to receive text messages from Dominion. Text DOM to 898366 from any mobile device.
Stay in touch through Dominion’s Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/DomVAPower, and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dominionvirginiapower.
Communicate with family and friends about emergency plans in the event of extended outages.
Make sure you have a battery-operated radio, multiple flashlights, a battery-operated clock, and extra batteries.
Turn off and unplug any non-essential electrical equipment in your home.
Make sure all prescription medications are filled.
Have a full tank of gas in your car.
If you have pets, please make sure you have provided for them as well.
In the event of power outages, contact the company using any mobile device at www.dom.com or call toll-free number at 866-DOM-HELP.
Dominion also reminds its customers to stay away from downed wires. While some wires may not be electric lines, it is best to stay at least 30 feet back from downed wires and report these locations by calling (866-DOM-HELP).
Follow prompts to speak with a representative in order to provide accurate, exact information to help direct crews to these locations.
