CBS/AP December 8, 2018, 11:39 AM Southern governors declare emergencies ahead of winter storm
RICHMOND, Va. — Governors in two southern states have declared emergencies ahead of an anticipated intense winter storm.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Saturday he'd declared an emergency to help state agencies prepare for a storm that's expected to hit hard the southern part of the state.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued the declaration Friday and said the impacts of the weekend storm will vary across the state, with forecasters calling for up to 18 inches of snow in the mountains and possible flooding at the coast.
"Snow may be beautiful but it can also be treacherous and I urge North Carolinians to take this storm seriously and get ready for it now," Cooper said Friday.
The National Weather Service said Saturday the heaviest snow is expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia.
The weather service said a "prolonged period of snow is expected" starting as early as Saturday evening and lasting until Monday.
The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said Saturday morning that heavy rainfall was affecting southeastern Texas and Louisiana, and that northwest Texas and central Oklahoma were seeing "wintry precipitation."
As of late Saturday morning, more than 10,000 customers were without power in Texas.
"Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of northeastern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina and southwest Virginia," it said. "Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect from the southern Plains across the Mid-South into parts of northern South Carolina and southwest Virginia."
The airlines have travel waivers in place. As of Saturday morning, 531 flights were cancelled and there were over 700 delays within, into or out of the U.S., according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware.
The storm has millions in its path.
