The mountains prepare for potential winter weather

BOONE, N.C. — On Saturday, people spent hours preparing for the potential winter storm that could hit their area.

High Country Nursery thrives on colder temperatures and wintry weather.

"I think the cold air and the snow gets everybody into the Christmas season," said Mitchell Gragg.

Gragg sold several Christmas trees on Saturday to people who traveled the mountains road north.

"A lot from South Carolina, Florida, Georgia," he said.

Brandon Springs is one of those people, grateful he bought a tree Saturday before icy weather sets in.

"It is dangerous. It really is. You can't say it's not, but they prepare the road," he said.

Eyewitness News checked with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and road crews have been put on standby to treat roads as needed, holding off for now so treatment is not washed away.

Eyewitness News also checked with power companies like Blue Ridge Electric for their response plans.

A spokesperson said the co-op put an action plan in place on Friday.

All 200 employees who work the power lines are to be ready if there are major power outages, and also calling sister cooperatives to be ready to help.

Those in the path of the storm should make sure their phones are charged and that there are fresh batteries for things like flashlights if the power should go out.

WSOC