North Carolina and Virginia face major winter storm
charlotte (North Carolina) — A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday — causing dangerously icy roads, immobilising snowfalls and power losses to hundreds of thousands of people.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper strongly urged residents to stay off the roads Sunday, asking drivers not to put lives of first responders needlessly at risk. Cooper said emergency crews, including the National Guard, had worked overnight to clear traffic accidents on major roadways. One tractor trailer ran off a road and into a river, Cooper said.
“Stay put if you can,” Cooper said. “Wrap a few presents, decorate the tree, watch some football.” Governors and local officials in several states declared emergencies ahead of the storm crossing several Southern states, which is hitting portions of North Carolina and Virginia particularly hard.
Officials have warned residents to prepare emergency kits and staff off roads in impacted areas.
“Virginians should take all necessary precautions to ensure they are prepared for winter weather storm impacts,” said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
The National Weather Service said a “prolonged period of snow” began late Saturday and would last until Monday in the region, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. Forecasters have said some mountain areas of North Carolina could get up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow or more.
Heavy rains also were expected elsewhere in other parts of the South, creating possible floods in coastal areas. —