Cold front to bring wind, sub-zero wind chill

Dec. 22—HENDERSON — A cold front will hit the Tri-County area this Friday, bringing gusts and wind chills as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit, per the National Weather Service.

Moderate rain will spread over Vance, Warren, Granville and surrounding counties today. Another round, which may end as snow, will fall from tonight through Friday morning and give way to wind gusts around 45 to 50 miles per hour on Friday morning.

"While we do not expect any significant issues, with wind gusts that high, fallen trees and power outages are certainly possible," said Vance County Emergency Operations Director Brian Short said.

The NWS notes that unanchored objects, such as holiday decorations, may be blown around. Driving may be more difficult, especially in high-profile vehicles.

Temperatures will continue to fall on Friday. The NWS has issued a Wind Chill Advisory for Friday night in the Tri-County area. People or pets exposed to the cold during that time are at risk of hypothermia.

"We are encouraging families to check on their elderly relatives and neighbors during times like this to make sure they are OK," Short said. "We also encourage people to bring their pets indoors, particularly during the coldest hours of the day."

There are a few resources available for those without a shelter.

LifeLine, at 2014 Raleigh Road, has opened its overflow room for women, children and boys younger than 12 only. Director Janice Hargrove said the shelter is ready with blankets and gloves. They'll be able to serve soup, coffee, crackers and sandwiches. No prior appointments are needed to stay in the overflow room.

First Presbyterian Church, at 222 Young St. in Henderson, has an emergency shelter open for men aged 18 and up, though they're nearly at capacity with nine out of 11 beds filled. Shelter Manager Darryl Jones noted that they may be able to put one air mattress down. They open at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and close at 6:30 a.m. Friday. When it's as cold outside as it will be this weekend, guests may stay until the temperature rises above freezing, Jones said.

LifeLine accepts children, but has a cutoff for boys at 12 years of age. The two men's shelters in Henderson don't accept men younger than 18. First Baptist Church Pastor Ron Cava said he wasn't aware of any shelter in the area that accommodates boys between those ages.

"It's terrible," Cava said.

Area Christians Together in Service's kitchen manager, Tracey Dalton, said the same. She sees anywhere from 140 to 200 homeless people per day at ACTS, a nonprofit organization focused on feeding those in need.

Meanwhile, Duke Energy officials put out a statement saying their "crews are prepared and ready to respond."

But "lingering high winds can sometimes result in longer outage times," they said. "With below-freezing temperatures on the horizon, we encourage customers to prepare now."

Duke Energy published a list of tips for those preparing for the storm.

Before the storm

— Create (or update) an emergency supply kit to save valuable time later. The kit should include everything an individual or family would need for at least two weeks, especially medicines, water, nonperishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm hits.

— Keep a portable radio or TV or a NOAA weather radio on hand to monitor weather forecasts and important information from state and local officials.

— Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of storms to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.

— Maintain a plan to move family members — especially those with special needs — to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs, or evacuation is required.

— Pet owners should arrange to stay at evacuation shelters that accept pets; friends' or family members' homes; or pet-friendly hotels.

After the storm

— Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.

— If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

Outage reporting

— Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.

— Use the Duke Energy mobile app, which can be downloaded from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.

— Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).

— Call the automated outage-reporting system, at: 800.POWERON (800.769.3766).

— Visit Duke's interactive outage map to find up-to-date information on power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration.