Photo courtesy of The Weather Channel
This map shows the areas where 0.25 inches of ice are most likely in the Carolinas, with the darker area being the highest risk. That much ice is when power lines start to fail, according to NPR Charlotte. A majority of Richmond County is included in this darker portion.
ROCKINGHAM — The National Weather Service has put a Winter Storm Warning in effect from midnight Saturday night through midnight Sunday for central North Carolina, including Richmond, Scotland, Anson and Moore counties.
Significant mixed wintry precipitation is possible, with a potential accumulation of two inches of snow and three-tenths of an inch of ice. That ice is likely to cause power outages and tree damage, according to the alert, and also states that travel could be nearly impossible.
“Our staff has also worked to test all response equipment to make sure it is ready should the need arise,” said Richmond County Emergency Services Director Bob Smith in an email. “Our staff will continue to monitor the storm system throughout the weekend and will be working to monitor any hazardous conditions as the storm unfolds.”
Smith cautioned that travel may be a concern Monday morning as well, as lingering precipitation may freeze overnight.
He added that the 9-1-1 Center has increased their staffing, although they’re encouraging residents to not call 9-1-1 for power outages in the area, but rather their local power company.
To report an outage, call 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy and call 1-800-693-0190 for Pee Dee Electric. To view current power outages online, Duke Energy customers can go to https://outagemap.duke-energy.com/#/current-outages/ncsc and Pee Dee Electric customers can go to http://omv.pdemc.com/.
For the most up-to-date information on current conditions, Smith advised that the Richmond County Emergency Services Facebook Page is another resource available.
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Reach Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or msasser@www.yourdailyjournal.com.
