Take These Items Out Of Your Car Before North Carolina Freezes

North Carolina is fully embracing the start of winter as below freezing temperatures are set to hit the state later this week.

Freezing cold temperatures and wind chills will move into North Carolina over the weekend, with the state experiencing some of the coldest temps in recent memory, per WCNC. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for several North Carolina counties and Gov. Roy Cooper has issued a state of emergency ahead of the approaching "arctic mass" to activate emergency operation and assist in transporting critical supplies to areas in need.

According to the National Weather Service, an arctic cold front will sweep across central North Carolina Friday morning, with wind gusts up to 50 mph. The temperature will drop into the teens but will feel drastically colder thanks to wind chill temps, with WCNC forecaster Larry Sprinkle saying it will be "dangerously cold, life-threatening cold." Some regions will feel below zero while areas of the mountains could feel near 30 degrees below zero.

Several states are expected to experience similarly freezing temperatures as an arctic blast sweeps across the country just in time for Christmas, potentially affecting travel for millions of Americans. KPRC compiled a list of items you should remove from your car ahead of the freeze:

• Drink bottles and cans: Forgotten cans and drink bottles could potentially burst if left in freeing temperatures.
• Canned food: This could be a hit or miss. Cold temps could cause canned food to swell, but if the cans aren't rusted or coming apart at the seams, the USDA recommends letting it thaw in the refrigerator. If it doesn't look or smell right once opening it, then toss it out.
• Handheld electronics: Freezing temps could impact your electronics' battery life and response time as well as affect screens and sensors.
• Glasses: The cold could damage frames, glass or even the coating on the lenses.
• Medications: Many medications are sensitive to temperature that could affect its efficacy.
• Musical instruments: The temperatures could cause significant damage to instruments made of real wood.

Some items you should keep in your vehicle, per WKRN, include a first aid kit, jumper cables, warm clothes and boots, blanket, flares, flashlight, bag of sand/kitty litter and even waterproof matches to help melt snow.