Thousands across central and Eastern NC without power as storm system arrives Thursday
A storm system with strong winds moving across North Carolina began causing power outages Thursday morning that sent repair crews scrambling.
As of 10 a.m., Duke Energy Progress reported more than 16,000 customers without power in central and Eastern North Carolina, with more than 8,000 of those in Sanford. Power went out in a section of west Sanford, near U.S. 1, just after The Weather Channel’s mobile app warned of winds approaching with gusts up to 50 mph.
As the squall moved through it tested the tensile strength of tall pines in the older neighborhoods of town and sent pine cones crashing to the ground.
Duke Energy alerted affected customers that crews had been dispatched and power should be restored by 11 a.m.
The National Weather Service said wind gusts of up to 35 mph can be expected through the day Thursday and overnight Friday as a cold front moves across the state. Severe thunderstorms are possible through Thursday afternoon, forecasters say, with locally heavy rain and high winds.
