CHARLOTTE — North Carolina Department of Transportation crews are continuing preparations ahead of a winter storm headed to our area.

Crews said they will be out spreading salt and brine on our roads until rush hour Friday and will return at 9 p.m.

Since Thursday afternoon, crews have been pretreating major interstates ahead of the storm. They have had a lot of practice already this year — just last weekend, Channel 9 was out on the roads with NCDOT crews as they worked during the winter weather.

NCDOT had 25 trucks drop a brine mixture in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, Stanly, and Anson counties Thursday evening.

Transportation officials said they have another 75 trucks on standby for this weekend.

“We’re going to be staging around the county. Depending on what the storm does will kind of dictate our response. Do we put some salt down proactively? Do we treat some hot spots like overpasses and elevated services things like that? I think all of that is yet to come,” NCDOT spokesperson Jen Thompson said.

This will be the third weekend in a row that these crews worked 12-hour shifts. NCDOT said it is staffed up so it can handle anything that drops.

“We have a lot of contract crews that we’ve worked with too. So it’s good that we can partner with them to kind of help us in instances where we may not have enough workers to take care of certain areas,” Thompson said.

While NCDOT will hit interstates, local towns are responsible for preparing and plowing streets.

The Charlotte Department of Transportation told Channel 9 it is closely watching the forecast and will respond should it be necessary.

Local forecast

• Friday night’s precipitation will start off with rain but the changeover to snow may take longer, according to updated forecast models.
• The immediate areas around Charlotte could see about 1 inch of snow.
• The possibility of some more accumulation will happen farther east.
• The mountains are expected to have between 2 and 6 inches of snow.
• Travel will be slick overnight through early Saturday before sun helps to melt things off.
• The rest of the weekend is dry and just cold. Temps stay in the 30s Saturday, but the wind chill will be in the teens in Charlotte.

Preparations for winter weather in North Carolina mountains and foothills

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty is covering the preparations for winter weather in North Carolina’s mountains and foothills.

Snow was seen falling along Highway 421 just east of Boone. However, officials are more concerned about the bitterly cold temperatures and winds expected to occur tomorrow morning.

NCDOT was out on Interstate 40 putting down brine first thing this Friday morning, just east of Statesville.

Crews in Watauga County said they will be transitioning to 12-hour shifts starting from 6 p.m.

Students on the campus of the Appalachian State University said they have seen plenty of snow this winter but now they are getting ready for single-digit windchills.

“Lots of layers. I’m not wearing my hat right now. I’m not a good example. But we’re about to go to the gym,” student Mary Gilbert said.

“‘Do you think you’ll go out in it tomorrow if it’s single-digit windchill?’ No not at all. ‘You’re gonna stay out of it?’ Yes I don’t like the cold that much,” student Temaya Johnson said.

Temperatures could fall another 20 degrees in the mountains overnight.

(WATCH BELOW: No more snow days? Some schools learned remotely instead of closing)

No more snow days? Some schools learned remotely instead of closing

©2022 Cox Media Group