Volusia, Flagler power outages: Wednesday storms knock out power for some residents. See where here

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·4 min read

After days of thunderstorms and tornadoes across North Florida the last few days it was Central Florida's turn Wednesday morning. A line of thunderstorms dumped rain across the state from Tampa to Daytona Beach overnight Tuesday into the early hours, and a tornado watch was issued for 19 counties.

The tornado watch is in effect until 11 a.m. as "a few strong to severe storms" moved through the area Tuesday night. Ormond Beach, Holly Hill and Ormond-by-the-Sea were under a tornado warning until 5 a.m. after radar indicated a possible tornado.

Over a thousand customers lost power Wednesday morning but as of 10:45 a.m., there were 341 Florida Power & Light customers without power in Volusia County and 6 in Flagler, according to the FPL outage tracker map. Duke Energy showed just 3 customers out in West Volusia.

Most of the power outages in the state Wednesday morning are in Leon County where three tornadoes devastated the area last Friday and more storms hit Monday, and in Manatee County.

Volusia, Flagler radar: Track storms moving across the area

Power outage map for Volusia, Flagler counties

If your power is out

You can report power outages here:

  • FPL: You can report an outage here or call 1-866-263-9186 immediately to report a dangerous condition such as a downed power line.

  • Duke Energy: To report an outage, text OUT to 57801, call 800.228.8485, or report it online

Staying cool without power in Florida

Power outages are annoying and inconvenient in the best of times, but Florida is experiencing hot and sunny May days with temps in Tallahassee expected to get near 84 degrees Monday. If your power is still out, you need to take care of yourself.

The most important thing is to keep yourself cool. The signs of heat stroke aren't as obvious as other dangers, which is one reason some studies have said approximately 1,300 Americans die every year from extreme heat.

  • Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated keeps you cooler and helps your body work more efficiently.

  • Rinse off. If you have running water, take a shower or go somewhere you can. Even dumping a bottle of water over your head can help bring your temps down. If you have a pool (or a friend with a pool), hit the water. Don't take a cold shower, though, that can work against you here by forcing your body to work harder.

  • Mist yourself. Water-misting spray bottles just might keep you sane.

  • Dip your bandana. Soak a towel or bandana in water and wrap it around your head or body.

  • Strip. Wear loose clothing in breathable fabric. Stick with light-colored cloth. Avoid tight clothing or jeans.

  • Fill a cooler with ice. Put wet towels in there and then put them on your skin.

  • Load up on battery-powered fans. Moving air helps, even if it's warm air. Take some ice from your cooler and put a bowl of it in front of the fan to cool off even more.

  • Sleep in the least-hot room in the house. If your bedroom is on a 2nd floor or higher, where all that heat is accumulating, this is a good time to crash on the couch. Try to use light-colored sheets and blankets.

  • Hang wet cloth over windows. If your windows are open and there's any breeze coming through, hang some wet, thin cloth from your curtain rod to cool the air a bit as it comes in.

  • Consider sleeping outdoors. It might not make that much difference here in Florida where it stays humid all night, but if there's a breeze you might feel cooler outside the house, especially if there's shade. Sleep on the porch, or camp out in the backyard.

  • Keep your pets cool, too. Your dog and cat are just as hot as you are and they have fur. Keep them hydrated and take steps to keep them cooled down.

  • Get out. There are places much cooler than your house, and the middle of the day is a great time to go. See a movie, go to the library, run some errands, go to a shady park, spend time in air-conditioned stores, go to a public swimming pool, jump in the ocean, and go anywhere with cool air.

After the power comes back on

Finally! But to stay safe, do these things:

  • Wait a few minutes before you turn any major appliances back on.

  • Throw away any food exposed to temperatures 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color or texture.

  • Dispose of any medication that needs refrigeration, unless the label says otherwise. Check with your healthcare professional or pharmacy to replace it.

Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia, Flagler power outages: Thunderstorms sweep central Florida