(The Center Square) – More than 11.1 million are braced for hazardous winter weather this weekend from Murphy to Manteo in North Carolina.
Preparations are ongoing for nominal snow accumulation from the mountains to the Outer Banks. Not all areas are expected to get snow or accumulation; many will get rain and freezing slick surface conditions.
An emergency has been declared by first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. The state price gouging law is also in effect, said first-term Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
Taxpayers’ protection by the price gouging law includes no excessive charges during a crisis, such as inflated costs for a generator or other everyday goods and services. Prices can be adjusted for impact of critical events on their operations, but not to boost profits.
Taxpayers through General Assembly appropriations supply about $60 million annually for winter storms to be handled by the state Department of Transportation. The cost of brine treatments on roads is about $6 per mile; salt is $15 per mile.
The National Weather Service reports on Thursday afternoon included:
• Asheville Regional Airport: Friday night low temperature of 23; Saturday, sleet late morning, then freezing rain into the night; Sunday, freezing rain before 1 p.m. and high temperature in the day of 39. Monday’s forecast is sunny with a high of 27.
• Charlotte/Douglas International Airport: Friday night low temperature of 27; Saturday, chance of sleet after 2 p.m. and then freezing rain; Sunday, freezing rain and sleet continues from overnight with a high of 30. Monday’s forecast is sunny with a high near 35.
• Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro: Friday night low temperature of 21; Saturday, chance of snow and sleet (less than half-inch accumulation) after 1 p.m.; Sunday, sleet could be heavy overnight into the morning, low of 17 and high of 28. Monday’s forecast is sunny with a high near 31.
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport: Friday night low temperature of 22; Saturday, chance of sleet after 1 p.m. mixing with snow (little to no accumulation) after 4 p.m., and new accumulation of snow, freezing rain and sleet in the evening at one-half to three-quarters of an inch; Sunday, freezing rain before 1 p.m., high of 33. Monday’s forecast is sunny with a high of 35.
• Pitt-Greenville Airport: Friday night low temperature of 25 with chance of rain overnight; Saturday, chance of freezing rain and sleet (accumulation less than one-tenth of an inch) with a high of 31; Sunday, freezing rain and rain, with high of 41. Monday’s forecast is mostly sunny with a high of 36.
• Wilmington International Airport: Friday night low temperature of 30, with chance of rain and sleet; Saturday, chance of rain and sleet with a high of 38; Sunday, rain before 1 p.m. with a high of 51. Monday’s forecast is rain before 7 a.m., then sunny and a high of 47.
• Dare County Regional Airport, at Manteo on the Outer Banks: Friday night low temperature of 30, with chance of rain and snow (one-tenth of an inch) overnight into Saturday; Saturday, rain, snow, sleet chances (accumulation quarter- to half-inch), and a high of 37; Sunday, rain and a high of 52. Monday’s forecast is a chance of rain before 1 p.m., then sunny and a high of 42.
