Duke Energy preparing for storm, shares homeowner tips. 'Crews are prepared to respond.'
High winds, severe storms and saturated ground may lead to downed trees, limbs and power lines, according to a news release from Duke Energy. Duke Energy is monitoring and preparing for the winter storm.
“There have been many severe weather systems across the nation in recent weeks. Duke Energy meteorologists have been tracking them, and our crews are prepared to respond if needed,” said Jason Hollifield, Carolinas Storm Director, in a release.
What a Wind Advisory means. What to know.
A Wind Advisory will remain in effect from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Tuesday. The advisory is for portions of northeast Georgia, Piedmont of North Carolina and the Upstate. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected.
Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result, according to an advisory on Weather.com.
Wind Advisory precautions and preparedness actions
Wind Advisory tips from the National Weather Service:
Secure outdoor objects.
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite source of weather information for the latest updates.
Additional details can be found at www.weather.gov/gsp.
A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph or greater are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Storm tips for before and after storm
Below are some general storm tips courtesy of Duke Energy:
Have a plan in place for what you will do if you lose power. Consider keeping a storm emergency supply kit handy, in case it is needed. A typical kit might include medicines, water, nonperishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm hits. You can keep the kit handy year-round for when severe weather strikes.
Maintain a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs.
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.
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.
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.
If you are driving and come across a utility crew working along the road to repair power, move over or slow down to keep the crew and yourself safe.
Outage reporting
Customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways:
Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
Use the Duke Energy mobile app – Download the Duke Energy App 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 our interactive outage map to find up-to-date information on power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Duke Energy preparing for storm, shares homeowner tips.
