>> GOOD MORNING.

YESTERDAY WE HAD THE KIND OF SNOWSTORM THAT WE DON'T GET VERY OFTEN IN NORTH CAROLINA.

WE HAD 16 INCHES OF SNOW IN LEXINGTON, 15 INCHES IN OCEAN ISLE.

ALL 100 COUNTIES EXPERIENCED SNOW, MUCH OF IT IN THE EAST.

SO WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING THIS TODAY, I HOPE YOU'RE WARM AND SAFE AND I HOPE THAT YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS ARE OUTSIDE PLAYING.

OUR KEY MESSAGE TODAY IS TO STAY OFF THE ROADS THAT WAY.

YOU'LL ALLOW THE ROAD CREWS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FOCUS ON THEIR ESSENTIAL TASKS TO KEEP US ALL SAFE.

DOT HAS 2500 PEOPLE OUT WORKING OVERTIME TO TRY TO CLEAR AS MUCH SNOW TODAY AS THEY CAN.

BUT OUR FEAR IS THAT WITH TEMPERATURES STAYING BELOW FREEZING TODAY AND MUCH OF TOMORROW, MANY ROADS WILL BE BAD IN MANY PLACES ACROSS THE STATE FOR DAYS TO COME.

WE HAVE A LOT OF MILES OF ROAD IN NORTH CAROLINA.

SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

AND WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS OUR TEAMS WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO CLEAR THE ROADS.

IN ADDITION, BLACK ICE IS GOING TO REMAIN A RISK THROUGHOUT THE WEEK BECAUSE OF BELOW FREEZING NIGHT TIME.

TEMPERATURES.

FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE CLEARING THE ROADS, PLEASE STAY AT HOME.

IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN.

THIS IS NO JOKE.

THIS WEEKEND WE SAW MORE THAN 1000 COLLISIONS, INCLUDING 2 FATALITIES AND A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM INVOLVING MORE THAN 100 VEHICLES ON.

I-85.

I WANT TO THANK THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL, THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR CLEARING THAT TRAFFIC JAM AND FEWER THAN 3 HOURS.

IF YOU MUST DRIVE, KEEP IT SLOW AND MAINTAIN MUCH MORE DISTANCE THAN NORMAL FROM THE CARS IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT YOU HAVE TIME TO BREAK.

AVOID SHARP TURNS AND SUDDEN STOPS AND TRAVEL WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS.

A CHARGED PHONE AND A BLANKET.

IN CASE YOU GET STUCK.

WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE COLD, ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE THE WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES COULD DRIVE US WELL INTO THE NEGATIVES.

THIS WILL INCREASE THE STRAIN ON THE ELECTRICAL GRID TOMORROW MORNING AS PEOPLE TRY TO STAY WARM.

UTILITY COMPANIES ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR ENERGY USE OVERNIGHT AND TOMORROW, INCLUDING TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS THAT WERE NOT USING AND AVOIDING USING MAJOR APPLIANCES.

IF YOU LOSE POWER, WEAR LAYERS AND SLEEP WITH A LOT OF BLANKETS.

KNOW THE SIGNS OF FROSTBITE LIKE LOSING FEELING AND COLOR IN YOUR FINGERS AND HYPOTHERMIA, WHICH CREATES UNCONTROLLABLE SHIVERING AND DISORIENTATION.

IF SOMEONE IN YOUR HOME DISPLAYS THE SYMPTOMS CALL 9-1-1.

ON THE OUTER BANKS WE'VE SEEN ROAD CONDITIONS DETERIORATE NC 12 HAD TO BE CLOSED DUE TO OCEAN OVER WASH AND WITH HEAVY WINDS AND HIGH TIDES, IT MIGHT TAKE A WHILE TO REOPEN.

PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS THERE AND BE ALERT FOR ANY FLOODING.

DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.

FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ROADWAY INFORMATION VISIT, DRIVENC.GOV.

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T GET SNOW LIKE THIS VERY OFTEN.

SO HAVE FUN.

STAY OFF THE ROADS AND STAY SAFE.

THANK YOU.

NOW INVITE FOR NORTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CHIEF OF STAFF DON CAMPBELL AND THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION DANIEL JOHNSON.

THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.

AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

MANY AREAS ACROSS THE STATE SAW SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TOTALS YESTERDAY AND INTO THIS MORNING.

WELL, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CONTINUES TO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB.

MANY ROADWAYS STATEWIDE REMAIN.

SNOW AND ICE COVERED.

>> AND DANGEROUS.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO STAY OFF THE ROADWAYS TODAY TO LET FIRST RESPONDERS THE NC DOT AND THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL AND THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD OPERATE SAFELY.

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A DISASTER SUPPLY KIT IN YOUR VEHICLE, WHICH INCLUDES BLANKETS, EXTRA CLOTHING, FOOD, WATER, A FLASHLIGHT, AN ICE SCRAPER AND A WAY TO CHARGE YOUR CELL PHONE AND PLEASE SLOW DOWN.

THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM REMAINS ACTIVATED.

AND AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE ARE 33 LOCAL STATES OF EMERGENCY WITH 25 LOCAL EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTERS ACTIVATED WITH MANY OTHERS MONITORING.

ADDITIONALLY AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 10,500 POWER OUTAGES REPORTED STATEWIDE AND THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM REMAINS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH OUR ENERGY SECTOR PARTNERS AS THEY QUICKLY ADDRESS ANY DISRUPTIONS AND POWER.

REMEMBER, IF YOU SEE DOWNED POWER LINES, TREAT THEM AS ENERGIZED AND DO NOT APPROACH THEM.

THANKFULLY, WE HAVE LIMITED REPORTS SO FAR OF DOWNED POWER LINES.

WITH THE EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES.

MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE OPENED SHELTERS AND WARMING CENTERS.

IF YOU CANNOT STAY AT HOME, PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OR VISIT READY.

NC .GOV.

SLASH WINTER WEATHER 2026 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RESOURCES IN YOUR AREA.

I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF REMINDERS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

FIRST, PLEASE ONLY DIAL 9-1-1, FOR AN EMERGENCY.

IF YOU NEED GENERAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 2, 1, 1, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR BEST TO DO OUR BEST TO KEEP EMERGENCY LINES OPEN.

SO THOSE THAT NEED IMMEDIATE HELP CAN GET IT.

SECOND, IF YOU SEE A DISABLED VEHICLE WITH YELLOW CAUTION TAPE ON IT.

IT HAS BEEN CHECKED BY A MEMBER OF THE FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY AND NO EMERGENCY EXISTS.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO REPORT THIS TO 9-1-1.

MANY PONDS LAKES AND CREEKS HAVE ICE ON THEM.

THE ICE CANNOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A PERSON OR A PET.

PLEASE STAY OFF THE ICE.

IT CAN BE A DEADLY SITUATION.

IF YOU FALL INTO THE WATER RIGHT NOW WITH THE WATER AND AIR TEMPERATURES AS THEY ARE, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK WITH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

FINALLY, AS WE GO THROUGH TODAY, PRECIPITATION IS COMING TO AN END.

BUT WITH THE BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE REMAIN VIGILANT.

PLEASE CHECK ON YOUR FRIENDS.

FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS.

WE ARE MORE RESILIENT TOGETHER.

I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO SECRETARY JOHNSON FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

THANK YOU.

CHIEF CAMPBELL AND GOVERNOR STEIN.

I WANT TO START BY THANKING OUR NC DOT CREWS, CONTRACTORS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE WORKING THROUGH THIS WINTER STORM.

>> STATEWIDE STORM LIKE THIS TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF COORDINATION TEAM WORK AND EFFORT, ESPECIALLY ON THE HEELS OF THE ONE.

WE ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM LAST WEEKEND.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THIS WAS A COLD, DRY SNOW, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO CLEAR THE ICE WE SAW LAST WEEKEND.

THE BAD NEWS IS THAT AS FAR AS ROADS CLEAR AS FAR AS ROAD CLEARING, WE HAVE RECORD LEVELS OF SNOW IN SOME AREAS OF THE STATE.

OUR CREWS WERE PREPARED AND WE HAVE SUFFICIENT SAUCE APPLAUSE TO ADDRESS THE STORM.

WE'RE THROWING EVERYTHING WE HAVE AT THIS, BUT IT WILL TAKE DAYS, EVEN THE LEAST IMPACTED AREAS TO CLEAR THE ROADS, SOME AREAS THAT COULD BE UP TO A WEEK BEFORE SECONDARY ROADS ARE CLEAR.

PLEASE BE PATIENT AND PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

IF YOU DO HAVE TO DRIVE SLOW DOWN AND GIVE OTHER CARS ARE TEAMS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS, LOT OF DISTANCE, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE VEHICLES ON THE ROADS THIS WEEKEND COMPARED TO LAST BECAUSE OF THAT.

WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL ROADWAY INSTANCE ACROSS THE STATE THAT WERE COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE LAST THING WE WANT IS FOR CARS TO BE STRANDED ON THE ROADS WITH FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND HIGH WINDS.

WHILE ALL 100 COUNTIES RECEIVE SNOW.

OUR NORTHEASTERN COASTAL COMMUNITIES WERE HIT PARTICULARLY HARD.

AND C 12 REMAINS CLOSED AND OUR FARES CONTINUE NOT TO OPERATE FOR SAFETY REASONS.

PLEASE VISIT DRIVENC .GOV FOR THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS AND ANY OTHER CLOSURES.

TODAY, OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON INTERSTATES AND HIGHWAYS.

ONCE THOSE ARE CLEAR AND SAFE FOR TRAVEL, OUR CREWS MOVED OTHER PRIMARY ROUTES.

ANOTHER WELL TRAVELED ROADS.

IF YOU SEE A TRUCK NOT PLOWING, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT MAY BE HEADED TO A SPECIFIC ROUTE WHERE THERE'S A SPECIFIC NEED ARE BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE YARD FOR RESUPPLY.

ALSO FOR SAFETY, OUR PLOWS CAN'T OPERATE WHEN THEY'RE SUSTAINED WINDS THAT EXCEED 35 MILES PER HOUR, WHICH IS EXPECTED IN SOME AREAS TODAY.

I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE I CAN'T STRESS THIS MESSAGE ENOUGH.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE TODAY, PLEASE DON'T.

THIS IS FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CREWS.

TURN BACK OVER TO GOVERNOR STEIN.

THANK YOU.

SECRETARY JOHNSON TO GAMBLE AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.

AND IF YOU WOULD JUST PLEASE RAISE, USE THE RAISE, HAND FUNCTION AND YOU'LL BE RECOGNIZED.

>> WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE.

>> VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.