Officials and emergency responders from around the county are preparing for the winter storm expected to hit Rowan County this afternoon.

According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday at the earliest.

The Rowan-Salisbury School System has canceled classes Tuesday and teachers will be going home early today. There are no classes today because it’s President’s Day. District offices will also be closed Tuesday. The make-up day will be March 26.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory issued a state of emergency declaration earlier today ahead of the storm.

Frank Thomason, the county’s emergency management chief, said snowfall is expected to start early this afternoon, around 1 p.m. or 2 p.m, with up to 1 ½ inches of snow. It will turn to sleet around 7 p.m., and freezing rain is expected to start falling around 9 p.m. and last until 5 a.m. Tuesday. Rainfall is expected to end around 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Thomason said up to 0.36 inches of ice could accumulate overnight — a quarter-inch of ice is the benchmark for causing damage to power lines, he said.

Crews are preparing for icy roads overnight and Tuesday morning, Thomason said.

Temperatures today will be around freezing throughout the day before dropping into the high 20s overnight.

Tuesday, temperatures will reach the high 30s with lows in the 20s. No precipitation is in the forecast for Tuesday afternoon.

Low temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday are currently expected to be in the low single digits — but the forecast calls for clear skies.

If people lose power at their home, they should contact their power company to alert them of the outage.

Duke Energy’s number to report power outages is 1-800-769-3766. The number for EnergyUnited customers is 1-800-386-4833.

UnionPower Cooperative customers can call 1-800-794-4423.

A Duke Energy official said people who have special medical needs at their home should notify the company about their situation when reporting a power outage.

People with emergencies should call 911.

The county and the local Red Cross chapter are putting volunteers on notice in case shelters are needed.

If a shelter does need to be opened due to power outages, officials will choose the location of the shelter, or shelters, based on where the people affected by the power outage are.

Monica Bruns, with the Red Cross, said volunteers can bring blankets and toiletries to people’s home if they’re in need during a power outage or if they don’t have a source of heat for their home.

She said people should have a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food in their home.

Bruns said people can get meals and snacks at the shelters.

The Red Cross can be reached at 704-633-3854. After business hours, people can dial ext. 107 to leave a message for Bruns, which she will be alerted to.

The state’s Department of Transportation has 1,300 workers and nearly 500 trucks distributing more than 1.3 million gallons of salt brine across the state’s roadways. And the state’s Highway Patrol is asking people to avoid traveling unless necessary during the winter weather. People can check road conditions at www.ncdot.gov/travel.

As of 11 a.m., more than 100 flights had been canceled at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. The airport has initiated its snow and ice control plan, which includes rotating snow teams to treat runways, taxiways and landside areas.

Contact Reporter David Purtell at 704-797-4264.