With an ice storm likely Saturday and Sunday in Triangle and roads that could stay treacherous past Monday, communities across the Triangle are preparing for an all-hands-on-deck response.
The state Department of Transportation began brining interstates and primary roads on Wednesday well ahead of the storm, which is expected to arrive late Saturday.
Other WRAL Top Stories
With some rain in the forecast before the storm, WRAL News asked why the roads were brined so early. According to the NCDOT, crews needed to make sure they had enough time to cover all the needed areas, and the initial rain forecast called for only spotty rain. Even if rain falls after roads are treated, the NCDOT said some brine will remain.
"The reason we started was because the weather allowed us to," said Kim Deaner, a spokesperson with the NCDOT told WRAL News on Thursday.
According to Deaner, major thoroughfares were rebrined only twice in an abundance of caution. Parts of I-40 were retreated on Thursday, and crews will asses if more areas need to be retreated on Friday.
"If we see heavy rain at any location, then they’ll make the call as to whether they’re going to go back and rebrine," she said.
Deaner explained the NCDOT is "making sure we’re using all the tools in the toolbox as early as we can" ahead of such a serious ice storm.
She also encouraged people to stay off the roads beginning Saturday evening.
"We want to emphasize the importance of being home or in a safe space before the freezing rain even begins, because once it’s on the road, driving it will be nearly impossible," Deaner said.
On Thursday, NCDOT Sec. Daniel Johnson emphasized this storm could impact most of the state.
"Some locations could see winter weather like they haven't seen in years," Johnson said.
The state has 2,100 specially-trained employees available to respond, and the NCDOT said 300,000 gallons of brine have already treated thousands of roads. Additionally, 1,250 dump trucks are on hand to clear snow and ice.
Salt is ready to treat the roads once the ice storm begins. Staying home doesn't just keep yourself safe, it helps crews clear the roads faster and better respond to emergencies.
>> Weekend WRAL Weather Alert Days: Icy mix for most, more snow north this weekend
NCDOT officials said they are looking to spread more than 80,000 gallons of brine in our area, using at least 49 trucks and 127 employees.
Deaner says the exact mix of rain, snow and ice will determine how NC DOT responds to the storm, including the equipment crews use, and what gets spread -- brine, rock salt or sand.
"If we see rain first, the brine will still work,” said Kim Deaner, NC DOT spokesperson. “It just won't work as well. It won't work as well as if there had been no rain."
Heavy, accumulating snow or layers of ice can weigh down power lines. As little as 1/4 inch of ice is enough to bring down power lines and cause outages in a winter storm. Falling branches can also land on lines, causing power disruption.
"This storm has the potential of generating both of those," said Jeff Brooks, spokesman for Duke Energy. He recommended that the general public make their plans as well.
"Every storm is an opportunity to be ready. You never know when that storm is going to generate outages," Brooks said.
Gas up, stock up ahead of winter storm
People can take the days before the storm to stock up on batteries, gas up cars and generators and withdraw cash, because ATMs and card transactions don't work without power.
>> Snow and ice threaten power outages in central NC: Take these steps now to stay warm and safe
With more ice expected in the forecast, officials are recommending you check your generators before the storm touches down in our area.
“Now’s the time to test your generator, to ensure that it will start in case you need it,” said Braxton Tanner, Wake County fire marshal.
He also added in the event you do need a generator, be sure to use it outside and away from windows to avoid a carbon monoxide risk.
Every home should have an emergency kit that includes:
- A first aid kit
- Prescription and non-prescription medicines for everyone in the family.
- Flashlights and plenty of batteries
- Ready-to-eat, non-perishable foods, such as canned meats, granola bars, instant soup and cereals, fruits and vegetables, canned or box juices, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars or trail mix
- A manual can opener
- Baby supplies: formula, bottles pacifiers, blankets, baby wipes and disposable diapers
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
- Personal hygiene items like soap, shampoo and toilet paper
- Plenty of blankets
RDU ready for winter weather
Officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport said crews have been preparing their winter weather protocol since September. Their goal is to have at least one runway clear for takeoff and landing at all times.
According to Mark Wood, director of field maintenance, the airport has 60 tons of solid de-icer to help clear the runways.
“It’s a lot harder with ice just because the equipment is going to slip a little bit when we have ice, so your strategy just has to change," Wood said. "So now we would make sure we do our pretreat application, and treat it a little bit heavier, and rely a lot heavier on our liquid and solid deicing materials.”
RDU recommends passengers monitor their airline’s app before arriving to the airport to check for any cancellations or delays.
State and local agencies working to prepare ahead of the storm
Several state and local agencies are also working to prepare ahead of the winter weather expected to sweep through the area.
“We’ve been super busy trying to make sure preemptively that we’ve put out public safety messaging for people to be prepared,” said Jason Hathcock, assistant chief of administration for Garner Fire Rescue.
He said crews have made sure all chainsaws are fueled up and working and automated snow chains have been added to firetrucks.
“They give you some leverage there that the tread on the tire wouldn’t,” Hathcock said.
If conditions get too bad, Hathcock said crews may pull some of the heavier trucks off of the road and use some of their smaller ones that have four-wheel drive.
“Whatever capacity it takes to get it there and make sure our personnel are getting there safely as well,” Hathcock said.
Garner Public Works Director Forest Jones said, "We're also checking out our own facilities, making certain things are up and running. Fire stations, police stations and those places are making certain they can still provide their services as well."
State Emergency Operations officials told WRAL News Wednesday they are closely monitoring the forecast and coordinating with multiple state agencies under this winter storm watch.
Wake Forest officials said crews have already begun brining roads -- laying down a first coat on Tuesday.
In Holly Springs, ahead of the storm, public works crews have tested and prepared all town vehicles and snow equipment, including 10 plows responsible for clearing 114 miles of town-maintained roads.
Snow routes are also in place. But plans are flexible in case the forecast fluctuates.
"We'll be making those assessments as Mother Nature hands us what she's going to hand us," Deaner said. "And then we will adjust appropriately."
Officials with the Division of Emergency Management said crews train year-round for events like this and have resources ready if conditions worsen.
"We're coordinating with North Carolina National Guard to make sure they have the resources they need,” said Brian Haines, NC Division of Emergency Management Spokesperson. “The North Carolina National Guard is going to stage in areas, just in case they're needed for any purposes."
Drivers are urged to stay off the roads, if possible, especially overnight and into the weekend, when ice could be most widespread.
Duke Energy team tracks storm to get power back on quickly
Duke Energy will alert customers when they know when and where an outage could happen, Brooks said.
"We have an in -house team of meteorologists that actually tracks every storm that comes through the Carolinas, and they do that not only so that we know what's going to happen, but because their forecasts help drive our damage modeling system. And that system helps us determine where we're likely to see outages and in what quantity," he said.
Those models help the utility put the right people in place to quickly get customers back online. Duke pulls from employees across six states, bringing help to where it is needed most.
Safety remains a top priority for both residents and emergency services. Durham Deputy Fire Chief Chris Iannuzzi advises citizens to remain indoors if possible, as the hazardous conditions increase the likelihood of downed power lines.
“If you see down power lines, make sure you stay as far away from them as possible because you can’t tell if they are live," Iannuzzi said.
WRAL reporters Kelsey Coffey, Willie Daniely, Carly Haynes, Eric Miller and Carolina Yaffa contributed to this report.