Shelby
-An
early spring snowstorm has N.C. Department of Transportation crews in
northwestern North Carolina battling wind gusts and below-freezing
temperatures to clear snow and ice from roads in the High Country.
The
region's Tennessee border counties (Avery, Watauga and Ashe), were most
affected by the latest storm. Several inches of snow fell in parts of those
counties, but windy conditions make it difficult to estimate just how much
snow the region received.
Some
primary roads in Avery, Watauga and Ashe counties are partially covered with
snow and ice, and crews are currently working to clear those roads.
Upon completion of each county's primary system, crews will move to the
county's secondary roads, which should happen sometime this afternoon.
Since
Tuesday, NCDOT has utilized 89 employees, 53 trucks and more than 600 tons of
salt to combat this storm in the northwestern part of the state.
Icy
patches on roads are possible as temperatures remain below freezing throughout
much of northwestern North Carolina. Motorists are encouraged to slow down
and use caution when traveling through the area.
For
real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT
on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter.
Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT
website. To access it, type "m.ncdot.gov" into the browser of your
smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference.
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