NC prepares for damaging winds, power outages and downed trees on Tuesday

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

The seriousness of Tuesday’s storm has school districts, utility companies, emergency management and more all bracing for the potential impact.

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.

Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said the impacts on Tuesday will be so widespread that crews will be spread out.

“The challenge with a storm like this is it’s really everywhere, so you can’t move a large number of crews from one place to another without putting at risk the communities they came from,” Brooks explained.

Over the next 24 hours, Brooks said crews will be stocking up on supplies and equipment as Duke Energy’s meteorologists monitor the oncoming storm.

“A lot of the work right now is to just finish up the things we need to get out of the way so we can clear our plate for the storm on Tuesday,” Brooks said.

At least four school districts in our area — Warren, Wayne, Robeson and Cumberland counties — will dismiss school early Tuesday and cancel after school activities.

The Triangle and many surrounding counties are under both a wind advisory and a flood watch Tuesday.

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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.

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

“The combination that’s most problematic is when you have a large amount of rain followed by high winds,” said Brooks. “That can create a situation where you begin to see trees that get uprooted [and] can come down on power lines.”

People who want to report a power outage can text OUT to 57801, report the outage online using the Duke Energy app or call 800.POWER.ON.

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.

Brooks called it a game-changer for responding to major storms.

Homeowners prepare for Tuesday storms

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.

Crews with Brother Bear Tree Service were working to clear trees at multiple homes, including the home of Marcus Bryan.

“They were leaning on the roof and [we] wanted to get it before it got too heavy and continue to lay on the roof,” he said.

Tree experts say it’s not just the leaning trees that are dangerous during severe weather.

“Branches can shatter and it can be a problem for a homeowner, and a risk for damage,” Jesus Guzman with Brother Bear Tree Service.

Duke Energy they also assist with tree trimming in order to protect their power grids.

“We do trim trees year-round,” a Duke Energy 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.”

Brooks said recent heavy rain from the last few weeks could make trees topple over as well.

“You’ve got heavy rain, on top of already an inch-plus of rain here in the Triangle. Then, when you add more to it and add those gusts of 30-40 mph, that’s a perfect recipe for bringing down large trees, damaging powerlines, power poles and can make for a lengthy restoration,” he explained.

Those reasons are why Bryan got his trees trimmed, and he says it’s already helping him feel better.

“I will sleep great,” he said.