HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR OUR AREA
There is a major winter storm expected to impact Central North Carolina late tonight until 6:00pm Saturday. There could be snow and sleet accumulations of 4 to 8 inches along with a quarter inch of ice. Snow and sleet will start late tonight and continue into Friday morning into Saturday. There should be more snow and sleep to the Northwest and more freezing rain to the South and East.
Roads will become snow/ice covered and slick, creating hazardous travel in all areas. Significant impact to travel is expected Friday and Friday night; travel may become nearly impossible. Northeast winds at 10 to 15 MPH will increase to between 15 and 25 MPH Friday and Saturday. The winds along with the weight of the snow and ice, may increase the damage to timber and powerlines.
BE PREPARED
PEMC members are urged to make the necessary preparations for prolonged interruptions of power resulting from the winter storm. Members with special medical needs should make the necessary arrangements, including alternate lodging or medical care. In addition, these preparations include preparing an emergency kit that contains the following: flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, water, non-perishable food items, alternate sources of heat and emergency contact numbers. Filling vehicle gas tanks and fully charging mobile phones ahead of time is highly recommended. For more information, please go here.
BE SAFE: STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES
PEMC reminds members to stay away from downed power lines or fallen trees/limbs that may be in close proximity to power lines. Do not to attempt to move downed lines under any circumstances, and exercise extreme caution around any damaged electrical infrastructure. Please report any damage to the Cooperative and/or local law enforcement in the event of an emergency.
STAY CONNECTED
Piedmont Electric is on alert and will be providing ongoing communications and weather monitoring. If a power outage occurs, Piedmont Electric customers should report the outage to 800.449.2667. You can also check our online Outage Map Viewer which provides detailed outage information, including location. If you would like to understand how power is restored after a major outage, check out our “Steps to Restoring” graphic here.
