WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – NCDOT officials are urging locals to be prepared and pay attention to the latest weather.

Debby is forecast to bring heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 40 mph to central and eastern North Carolina as early as Tuesday and continuing late into the week.

“Now’s the time to get yourself prepared,” said North Carolina Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “Please monitor the weather and if you need food, water or other supplies, get those now because once the storm hits it may impact the roads you use. We’re expecting a lot of rain from Debby that could cause flooding and make traveling dangerous.”

More than 2,200 employees statewide are preparing to respond as needed as well as fueling up and testing equipment and vehicles, including about 1,500 chainsaws and trucks, and nearly 600 backhoes, graders and front-end loaders.

The department has thousands of road closures and high-water signs and barricades. People are encouraged to visit here for emergency preparedness resources and here for real-time road conditions.

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