Crews spread salt on roads and people stock up on batteries as a winter storm threatens the US

ATLANTA (AP) — Bags of ice-thwarting salt aren’t usually a hot item at Bates Ace Hardware in Atlanta, but store manager Lewis Pane sold all 275 he had in stock in one morning as residents braced for a major storm to deliver heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain on a broad section of the U.S. in coming days.

Payne said he had 30 online orders for “ice melt” before 8 a.m. People sprinkle the salts on the ground before a storm to disrupt the formation of ice.

“It’s impossible to get right now,” Payne said. “We have had to make special trips to our warehouse to pick up extra items because people need them.”

The storm was expected to hit starting Friday, stretching from New Mexico to New England and across the Deep South. The damage could rival that of a major hurricane.

Meteorologists say ice may linger on roads and sidewalks because temperatures will be slow to warm in many areas. Ice could also weigh down trees and power lines, triggering widespread outages.

The city of Carmel, Indiana, canceled its Winter Games out of fear residents could get frostbite and hypothermia competing in ice trike relay and “human curling” in which people slide down a skating rink on inner tubes.

College sports teams moved up or postponed games, and the Texas Rangers canceled their annual Fan Fest event.

The coldest windchills may fall below -50 F (-46 C) across the Northern Plains with subzero wind chills reaching as far southeast as the Mid-Atlantic states and Southern Plains, the National Weather Service said.

At the Atlanta hardware store, Wendy Chambers stopped by to pick up batteries and flashlights in case there is a power outage.

“We’re gonna be prepared, aren’t we? We’re going to be able to read, do things, play games,” she said before heading to church choir with her granddaughter.

Oklahoma truck driver Charles Daniel planned to load up as much freight as possible before the storm arrives in his area on Friday.

“You’ve got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what you’re doing,” said Daniel, who delivers goods across western Oklahoma in an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.

“You can’t back down into decline docks, you can’t go into neighborhoods or parking lots,” Daniel said. “I’m 40,000 pounds unloaded. One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head.”

He said truck drivers need to have a change of clothes, plenty of water and a couple of jackets on hand in case they get stuck because it would be a while before a tow truck could help them.

In Arkansas, the Department of Transportation started treating some roads with brine on Tuesday. The salt helps prevent ice from forming. Over 10 inches of snow were expected in parts of the state.

Rain was complicating efforts to pretreat roads with salt in Alabama on Wednesday because precipitation washes away the brine. The Alabama Department of Transportation encouraged people to stay off the roads if ice forms.

“Any amount of ice is pretty dangerous, and certainly a quarter-inch could be very hazardous,” said Seth Burkett, a department spokesperson.

Snow and icy conditions were forecast for Maryland beginning Saturday afternoon or evening, with peak effects Saturday night and into Sunday morning. The governor declared a state of preparedness to help authorities respond quickly.

Governors in North Carolina and South Carolina declared states of emergency, making it easier for state and local agencies to coordinate and get help from groups like the National Guard.

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Murphy reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland; Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky; Jamie Stengle in Dallas; Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; ; and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.