Stay Safe: Essential Travel Tips for the First Winter Storm of 2025

“Travel may prove hazardous across a large portion of the state throughout the weekend,” stated state Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “We urge limiting non-essential travel to give crews time to effectively clear the roads.” 

Much of North Carolina is predicted to experience a mixture of snow, ice, and freezing rain beginning Friday and lasting into Saturday morning. The greatest accumulation of winter precipitation is expected in the mountains, foothills, and central North Carolina north of Interstate 85.

N.C. Department of Transportation personnel are diligently monitoring the weather and making necessary preparations. In each county, NCDOT maintains a stock of front-end loaders, dump trucks equipped with brine applicators or salt spreaders, snowplows, and motor graders to handle the most challenging roads.

Transportation teams across the state have prepared their vehicles and tools, initiating the treatment of roads against potential snow, ice, and freezing rain that may impact the region. Numerous county NCDOT teams are applying a saltwater solution known as brine to the roads to avert the formation of ice on the pavement.

Brine reduces the freezing point of water to approximately 18 degrees.

NCDOT, comprising its leadership team and workers across all highway divisions, traffic safety, operations, the Division of Motor Vehicles, alongside rail, aviation, public transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and ferry divisions, are actively monitoring the storm and are ready to act as needed.

Over 1,100 employees from NCDOT are pre-treating roads and gearing up for the impending storm. As of 9 a.m. Thursday, NCDOT teams statewide had distributed over 633,000 gallons of brine on roads statewide. NCDOT possesses nearly 2,000 trucks that can be outfitted with plows and spreaders for snow and ice removal. Additionally, the agency has 238 motor graders and can store up to 9,577 tons of salt and sand, alongside 1.9 million gallons of brine at its storage facilities around North Carolina.

The state agency is also positioning some trucks and equipment along roadways where ice, snow, and water have previously accumulated during winter weather events, standing ready to dispatch crews with chainsaws to clear fallen trees from the roads.

Once the roads have been treated, NCDOT teams will be poised to respond as soon as precipitation starts. They will operate continuously in 12-hour shifts to plow and treat snow and ice until all state-maintained roads are cleared.

As early as fall, NCDOT teams began readying themselves for winter weather by testing equipment, conducting dry runs, and ensuring an adequate supply of salt and sand.

For real-time travel updates, please visit DriveNC.gov. Visit NCDOT’s website for additional information on winter travel advice.