Josh Stein on Thursday issued a new State of Emergency to ensure the state qualifies if federal assistance is needed to respond or recover from this winter weather event and to activate the State Emergency Response Team ahead of the storm’s arrival on Saturday morning. The State Emergency Response Team assists affected communities with any response needs. Additionally, the governor provided an update on state preparations and guidance for navigating this weekend’s winter weather. “Once this storm hits, play it safe and stay off the roads until conditions improve.”Be PreparedTo prepare for winter weather, N.C. ♦ Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.