Last Updated on March 26, 2014 9:40 am
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.