KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. -- Gov. Bev Perdue has declared a state of emergency for western North Carolina due to the threat of a winter storm that's expected to dump up to a foot of snow on the region thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

The counties include: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey.

Perdue issued the proclamation Monday afternoon, days after she issued a similar proclamation for 40 counties in eastern North Carolina because of Sandy's winds and rain. The storm has led to flooding along the coast, shutting down N.C. Highway 12, the sole link between the southern Outer Banks and the mainland.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather warning for the northern half of the North Carolina mountains. Up to a foot of snow is possible in the higher elevations with wind gusts of up to 65 mph.

Snow was already reported Monday afternoon in Jefferson in Ashe County.