North Carolina Department of Transportation officials are warning that it could take longer than usual to clear roads after this weekend’s forecasted winter storm.
Crews will be out brining roads over the next few days in preparation for the heavy snow expected to start Saturday.
But Mark Crook, an NCDOT maintenance engineer for part of the Triad, says it could be well into next week before driving conditions return to normal.
"It's not just the snow and the ice that's in the forecast. It's the cold temps that follow," Crook said at a press conference in Winston-Salem on Wednesday. "That's what's really going to make it hard for us to make progress.”
He says if it’s below 20 degrees, salting roads isn’t effective for de-icing. And there are several days next week with projected lows in the teens or single digits.
"Until we see a day above freezing, we are not going to make a lot of progress quickly," Crook said.
Chrissy Murphy, an NCDOT spokesperson in the High Country, says they have the same concerns.
“Anytime we have the temperatures dropping that low, and we're seeing ice like that, it is hard to remove. It's a lot harder to get off the roads than snow,” Murphy said. “So we'll just have to ask for extra patience from drivers. Just be ready to stay home for a little bit longer than usual, if that's what happens.”
Officials say residents in both regions should exercise caution as crews begin brining roads in the next few days, and avoid travel entirely this weekend. Road conditions will be updated online at DriveNC.gov.