As a winter storm heads towards North Carolina this weekend, Governor Roy Cooper is urging residents to be prepared. He declared a State of Emergency Friday evening for all 100 North Carolina counties.

At a press briefing Friday morning, the governor said residents need to stay vigilant.

“A winter storm is not a Christmas Carol snow," he noted. "It’s serious. I urge you to keep a close eye on the forecast because this storm will have various impacts on different parts of our state.”

Gov. Cooper has activated the National Guard to help as needed, and as of this morning, the Department of Transportation had spread over 200,000 gallons of salt brine for anti-icing.

The governor urged against unnecessary travel, telling residents to be prepared to stay home for a few days, update emergency supplies, and exercise caution when using alternative energy sources.

Individuals can monitor road conditions at drivenc.gov and review tips for preparedness at readync.org.