By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
A good chunk of the state is on standby today waiting for a March snowfall ó or the end of a drizzly weekend.
Some weather forecasts are calling for 6 inches of snow or more in Rowan County ó but it all depends on timing.
Rain could turn to snow later this afternoon and pile up several inches of wet snow overnight.
While residents rush to grocery stores, the N.C. Department of Transportation will be checking forecasts and preparing to launch a 12-hour campaign to keep primary roads clear.
“We’re ready to go,” said John Thomason, a supervisor with the local district of the Department of Transportation. “We loaded up everything Friday and got the spreaders on.”
They’ve also restocked salt supplies after two other minor ice-and-snow events this winter.
Thomason, supervisor for the western side of the county, and Jerry Pate, supervisor for the eastern side, including Interstate 85, plan to get together this morning, check the latest weather forecasts and decide when and if the salt equipment goes on the road.
The crews will follow the established pattern, starting with Interstate 85 and primary roads including U.S 70, U.S. 29, U.S. 52, N.C. 150 , N.C. 152 and N.C. 153.
The supervisors will also be in touch with Judy Burris at the Rowan-Salisbury School System bus garage. “We share our thoughts … to make decisions,” he said.
March has delivered some of the biggest snow storms in the Piedmont.
“There’s still time for snow,” Thomason said. “It’s still winter.”
There is still a good bit of uncertainty about the snowstorm, said Justin Lane, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Greer. “Usually with these events there’s a fairly narrow corridor of heavy snowfall and we can’t determine exactly where that will be right now,” Lane said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Jessie Burchette at 704-797-4254.