Southeastern U.S. Braces for Major Winter Storm

“Plan to stay home tomorrow.”

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is urging residents to prepare for Sunday’s high-impact winter storm.

Forecasts of snow and ice as far south as Georgia have put a big part of the Southeast on an emergency preparedness footing as shoppers scoured store shelves for storm supplies and crews raced to treat highways and roads as a major winter storm approached from the Midwest.

In Virginia, where a blizzard left thousands of motorists trapped on clogged highways earlier this month, outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency and urged people to take the approaching storm seriously.

In North Carolina, some store shelves were stripped bare of essentials including bread and milk.

Elsewhere, trucks began spraying a briny mixture on hundreds of miles of interstates and other roads to prevent icing across the region.

Travis Wagler said he hadn't seen such a run on supplies at his Abbeville, South Carolina, hardware store in at least two winters.

“We’re selling everything you might expect: sleds, but also salt, shovels and firewood,” Wagler said from Abbeville Hardware on Friday. That region faced predictions of a quarter-inch (0.6 centimeters) of ice or more on trees and power lines, which could lead to days without electricity.

“People are worried,” Wagler said.

Parts of Tennessee could get as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of snow, forecasters said, and northern Mississippi and the Tennessee Valley region of Alabama could receive light snow accumulations. With lows predicted in the 20s across a wide area, any precipitation could freeze, making driving difficult if not hazardous.

By Friday, the fast-moving storm had already dropped heavy snow across a large swath of the Midwest, where travel conditions deteriorated and scores of schools closed or moved to online instruction.

The storm, after its expected weekend dip into the Southeast, was then expected to head into the Northeast while dropping snow, sleet and rain around the densely populated Eastern Seaboard.

A winter storm watch extended from just north of metro Atlanta to Arkansas in the west and Pennsylvania in the north, covering parts of 10 states including Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Travel problems could extend into metro Atlanta, where about 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow brought traffic to a slip-sliding halt in 2014, an event still known as “Snowmaggedon.”

A mixture of ice and up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) of snow is expected in Atlanta, according to an advisory issued Saturday by the National Weather Service.

At Dawsonville Hardware about 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Atlanta, owner Dwight Gilleland said he was already out of heaters by noon Friday and only had five bags of salt and sand left.

“I think the pandemic has made people more anxious than normal,” he said.

Possible power outages and travel problems could be exacerbated by any coating of ice — and winds gusting to 35 mph (55 kph), the National Weather Service said.

“Hopefully, the storm will underdeliver, but it could overdeliver. We just don’t know,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp as he announced storm preparations. He was taking no chances as he declared a state of emergency and crews began treating major roads and highways in north Georgia.

Gov. Henry McMaster in neighboring South Carolina also issued an emergency order, saying the state would likely start feeling the effects of the major winter storm Sunday morning.

“There is a potential for very dangerous conditions caused by accumulations of ice and snow, which will likely result in power outages across the state,” he said.

The city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 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.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed an emergency order and the administration urged people to stay at home once the storm hits. The state highway agency warned that labor shortages meant crews might not respond to problems areas as quickly as normal.

“We just don’t have as many people to drive the trucks or operate the equipment,” said spokesman Marcus Thompson at the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Many schools and businesses will be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, which could help reduce travel problems along with temperatures that are supposed to rise into the 40s.

[louspingleburken]

I walked to school in first grade in over 2 feet of snow in sub zero temperatures. People are so cupcake now! No wonder this country is in shambles.

[OKAaron]

Hippies : Global warming is REAL
Mother Nature : Hold my beer

[chrisduitsman]

The Southeastern states call this storm a menace. In the Northern states, we call it Tuesday in Winter.

[danielquinn]

Omg a foot of snow ? I lived in Colorado a bit, we would sweep that away with a broom .

[flipzvfx]

Ain’t no way he said this storm is a menace

[xmmx]

Man I live in Tennessee. We get every kind of weather you can think of in one week. We will be fine. Whatever comes we will sustain.

[Gwava]

My dude I lived in Northern Maine at one point on Canadian border at -25 a and 5-7 feet of snow, you’ll be fine just stock up, shovel, and warm clothes?

[irisce]

Temperature in northern Florida will be in the 20s next week! No snow sadly D:

[rnuss]

How did folks survive back when we didn't have these wonderful press conferences and websites to go to and get this life saving info from the most wise

[tommurphy]

In my area, the dangerous winter storm has been a snow storm no show. Temperatures above 32 F are the snow storm killer. This demonstrates the fact that snow storms are difficult to create and sustain and often dissipate rapidly. When one really comes, have some popcorn at home and let it stop before thinking of going out. Only go out for ESSENTIAL needs. You will find that roads are often cleared before you get out for delayed events.

[robertw]

Remember:
3 face masks and 4 vax shots are your best protection against tsunamis per CDC guidelines..

[ggductor]

A major winter storm in the winter, oh my, boring

[trollking]

It's snowing here in New Jersey. It was only 6 degrees F last night. They say it should turn to rain, but I don't know. The radar looks like the storm is coming this way.

[booshock]

He should teach politicians how to talk to people. He's really good at it.

[hoostheplage]

like the government don't control the weather

[dansmith]

A foot of snow….

I got close to that on Friday in Colorado lol.

[WTF_BBQ]

"We thank all of these emergency responders in advance for your I've heard of this before. They said the same things to nurses and doctors. They were the heroes when covid came, then got thrown under the bus. Became enemy number one.

[tommurphy]

The "danger" is vastly overstated. The northern states endure these events multiple times each winter. Most of the "danger" can be avoided by driving slower, carrying a shovel in your car along with some food and adequate winter clothing consisting of a winter jacket, gloves and a winter hat that covers your ears. Carry a cell phone so that you can call AAA for roadside assistance. As a kid, I dug snow tunnels and built snow forts for snowball fights for fun in the snow and experienced a real snow storm in Maryland a few years ago. Snowfall measured in a few inches is a joke. I have also been a snow skiier for decades, so slipping and sliding in snow has been a fun pastime.

[warningsigns]

3:22 skull and bones involved in this weather warfare - their signature

[MrMarkar]

my advice is to take notes of what you need to stay alive for next storm👍🏼