Tuesday, February 18, 2025

‘If you can stay home, stay home’: Governor addresses winter storm arrival

“Tonight and tomorrow morning we are concerned with unsafe roadway conditions,” Gov. Josh Stein said in an afternoon press conference. (Courtesy livestream)

NORTH CAROLINA — As a winter storm moves through much of the Southern United States, the North Carolina governor and emergency management officials asked state residents to stay off the roads as it approaches North Carolina.

READ MORE: Winter weather: Closures, postponements, scheduling changes

A great deal of the southeastern coast and inland counties near them are under a winter storm warning. The National Weather Service in Wilmington is calling for 3 to 5 inches, as a wintry mix of snow and sleet began falling after 4 p.m. Tuesday; the greatest impacts are expected after 9 p.m. with some areas potentially seeing higher amounts of precipitation.

“Tonight and tomorrow morning we are concerned with unsafe roadway conditions,” Gov. Josh Stein said in an afternoon press conference. “As you get east of I-95, we’re anticipating more snow and to the west, less snow. It is counterintuitive from what we traditionally have when it comes to winter weather.”

Emergency Management Director Will Ray said asked those impacted by the storm to stay off the road: “for your safety and for the safety of our first responders and DOT personnel that may be out.” 

The cold front has blanketed areas normally prepared to deal with hurricanes over snowfall; four inches fell in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, with 8 inches expected in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Ray said the northeastern coastal region of North Carolina can see upward of 8 inches as well. This includes the Outer Banks, Carteret, southern Craven, Pamlico, Tyrrell and Hyde counties.

The state’s emergency response team has been activated to monitor the storm’s approach, with 24 emergency centers open. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has manpower in place and components of the National Guard have been deployed to the eastern part of the state for emergency response needs, with four-by-four drive capabilities and NCDOT teams in hotspots for road clearance. The NCDOT’s trucks are armed with plows and spreaders to remove snow and ice.

The agency has positioned 800 employees in the eastern part of the state to pre-treat roads with 1.7 million gallons of brine; this includes 55,000 gallons in New Hanover County. The saltwater solution helps mitigate frozen conditions by lowering the freezing temperature of water to 18 degrees to prevent ice from forming on pavement. 

However, with frigid temperatures accompanying snowfall and freezing rain, accumulation is likely. 

“Slick roadway conditions are possible,” Ray said, adding NCDOT will work around the clock to clear primary corridors, though secondary routes may be more challenging to get to quickly.

The teams also are equipped with chainsaws to cut felled trees or limbs that are vulnerable from ice accumulation.

NCDOT Chief Operating Officer Chris Peoples advised anyone who needs supplies, such as food, to stock up now and avoid being on the roads tonight or tomorrow “unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

In the event that a motorist must be driving, state officials ask they take precautions and stock their vehicles with:

  • Working flashlight
  • Jumper cables
  • Extra food, water and a change of clothes
  • Blankets
  • First aid kit
  • Make sure tires have plenty of air and tread

“If you can stay home, then stay home,” Stein added. “Put on an extra sweater, maybe turn down your temperature, so it’s not quite as hot … we want to try to reduce the load demand on the grid for power.”

National Weather Service Wilmington has said there is a low chance of power outages, however ice accumulation on limbs and power lines is still dangerous. To help prepare the home, residents should:

  • Keep cabinet doors open under sinks to allow for air to flow through the home 
  • Let faucets drip to prevent the pipes from freezing
  • Conserve consumption of power — don’t wash clothes or dishes, for instance, if unneeded

A cold weather advisory is in place statewide, with the mountainous region expected to be 14 below with the wind chill. Stein said President Donald Trump is expected to visit the Helene-devastated communities on Friday.

“I think that’s very good news for the people of Western North Carolina, that this issue is front of mind of the new administration,” Stein said.


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Shea Carver
Shea Carver
Shea Carver is the editor in chief at Port City Daily. A UNCW alumna, Shea worked in the print media business in Wilmington for 22 years before joining the PCD team in October 2020. She specializes in arts coverage — music, film, literature, theatre — the dining scene, and can often be tapped on where to go, what to do and who to see in Wilmington. When she isn’t hanging with her pup, Shadow Wolf, tending the garden or spinning vinyl, she’s attending concerts and live theater.

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