Why did North Carolina declare a state of emergency?

North Carolina officials declared a state of emergency in response to severe winter weather threatening the region. The declaration comes with specific concerns about two critical areas of public safety. Officials explicitly stated that their greatest concerns are potential power outages that could leave residents without heat during dangerously cold conditions, as well as hazardous road safety issues caused by winter precipitation. The emergency declaration allows the state to mobilize resources more effectively to address these threats as the winter storm approaches.