Snow day: Cumberland County cancels school, suspends some city services Friday

Schools in Cumberland County let out two hours early Thursday in preparation for the winter storm. All students were in virtual, asynchronous learning on Friday, which means they can work independently on their assignments.

Snow started falling in Fayetteville around 5 p.m. and continued through the night.

The city has been prepping the roads with brine, and trucks are ready to clear them when the storm comes. The city has its eight trucks with plows and sand spreaders ready to roll.

Assistant Public Services Director Lee Jernigan says this is in addition to the prep work NCDOT trucks have done.

"We have completed advance preparation by putting brine on all of our city-owned roadways, major thoroughfares, as well as our city-owned bridges," said Jernigan. "We will have crews staffed 24-7 beginning in the morning through when we need to demobilize as part of the storm event."

The DOT spread around 52,000 gallons of brine across Cumberland County, officials said.

Fayetteville Fire Marshal T.J. McLamb says his office will have extra staffing through the storm.

Silent killer: Avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning and death

"Make sure you have a three-foot clearance all the way around those heating devices, and if you're using a generator for loss of power, make sure you have those generators outside – don't put it in the garage, even if you have a garage door open," he said.

Twenty-two county plow trucks are on standby, waiting for the snow to accumulate.

If people do decide to drive during the storm, DOT maintenance engineer Jason Dunigan asks that drivers stay away from the big plow trucks.

"Don't get on the road unless you have to. If you have to, and if you see our trucks out there, stay back away from them," he said.

Cumberland County has opened a shelter at Smith Recreation Center on Slater Avenue in Fayetteville. It opened at 4 p.m. and will remain open until noon on Sunday.

The Salvation Amy in Fayetteville has also expanded its capacity for anyone who needs to get out of the cold.