Duke Energy prepares for damaging winds, power outages on Tuesday

Duke Energy crews on Monday were preparing for strong, damaging winds and heavy rainfall expected on Tuesday, a WRAL Weather Alert Day.

The Triangle will be under a Level 2 risk on Tuesday, when severe storms are likely to begin in the Triangle around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. The severe potential will be greater south and east of the Triangle, where multiple WRAL counties are under a Level 3 risk, including Cumberland and Harnett.

Those southeastern counties will be most likely to see power outages and severe storms on Tuesday in the evening hours, but damaging winds and heavy rain will also put the Triangle at risk.

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Rainfall totals on Tuesday could exceed 2 to 4 inches in some spots. In the Triangle, we could see up to 3 inches of rain.

Localized flooding will be a threat, along with damaging winds. We could see wind gusts as strong as 50 to 55 mph Tuesday, approaching severe-level winds of 58 mph.

A wind advisory is in effect for the viewing area, including the Triangle, on Tuesday between 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

A spokesperson for Duke Energy told WRAL News on Monday the next 24 hours are crucial as crews monitor the forecast and meet to plan their storm response.

The high winds will be a major concern, causing the potential for outages and downed power lines and trees across the state.

According to WRAL meteorologists, the severe weather will likely be widespread. As a result, Duke Energy crews are working to decide where to best position workers before the storm.

Duke Energy has thousands of line and tree workers in the Carolinas, including many in the Triangle who work long hours to stay ahead of major weather events.

That includes trimming trees before the storm to minimize outages.

“We do trim trees year-round,” a spokesperson said. “We do a lot of work to keep clearances around our power lines so that we can cut down on the number of outages we experienced during storms. That’s part of our grid-strengthening activities.”

Duke Energy has been working to upgrade poles and power lines in recent years to make them stronger and more resistant to severe weather. The work is ongoing, but officials said those benefits are already beginning to deliver.

Duke Energy told WRAL News the additions include a new tool that can automatically detect a power outage and reroute power to other lines to restore service faster.