A winter storm watch is in effect for this weekend with snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain expected across central North Carolina starting Saturday. Wintery conditions are expected to continue through Sunday evening.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh predicts snow accumulations between 2 to 4 inches, and ice accumulations could reach three-tenths of an inch.
Black ice is also expected to form, likely creating dangerous road conditions. North Carolina鈥檚 Department of Transportation has scores of crews ready to treat icy roads. However, the state highway agency warned that labor shortages meant crews might not respond to problem areas as quickly as normal.
鈥淲e just don鈥檛 have as many people to drive the trucks or operate the equipment,鈥� said Marcus Thompson, a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Duke Energy is also mobilizing crews. Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks the utility is bringing in 600 line workers from the Midwest and Florida, and about 1,000 contractors.
鈥淲hen we鈥檙e talking about snow -- it鈥檚 about 6 or 7 or 8 inches of snow -- is when we start to see power outages happen, but with ice it only takes a quarter of an inch for it to start bringing down tree limbs onto power lines,鈥� Brooks said. 鈥淭hat will be the thing we have to watch most, but we always prepare for the worst case scenario."
Know the winter storm terms:
— NC Emergency Management (@NCEmergency)
Warning = Heavy snow, sleet or ice expected in 24 hrs
Watch = heavy snow, sleet or ice possible in the next 24-48 hrs
Advisory = wintry weather & likely slick travel within 24 hrs
Meteorologist Nick Petro says this storm could also bring heavy wind gusts.
鈥�20 to 30 mile per-hour wind gusts are clearly possible with this event,鈥� Petro said. 鈥淪o any ice that accumulates will be aggravated by the wind, which could bring down trees and power lines."
Warmer air is expected to move in on Sunday, says meteorologist Tom Green.
鈥淎nd so that's going to result in mixed precipitation types,鈥� Green said. 鈥淭hat means that we'll mainly have the precipitation change over to a mix of sleet and freezing rain."
Authorities are urging families to get any supplies they may need over the weekend now to avoid traveling during the storm.
The city of Winston-Salem had to borrow workers from other departments to help treat roads ahead of the storm because COVID-19 had caused a shortage of workers, spokesman Randy Britton said. Even volunteers pitched in to help as the city stepped up its normal schedule of preparing for winter weather, he said.
鈥淲e feel real good about where we are,鈥� Britton said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e checked the boxes.鈥�
Forecasters' predictions of debilitating snow and ice as far south as Georgia have shoppers scouring store shelves for storm supplies and road crews trying to prevent a repeat of past wintertime debacles. The National Weather Service says from 2 to 5 inches of snow could fall as far south as northeast Georgia.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed a State of Emergency ahead of the storm.
