In Triangle, risk of flash flooding, power outages overnight Thursday from Dorian
As Hurricane Dorian made landfall on North Carolina coast late Thursday night, the Triangle area experienced tropical storm force winds, light rain and power outages.
Gov. Roy Cooper urged inland residents to stay indoors Thursday night, as the storm could knock down trees and harm power lines. Earlier Thursday, hundreds of Duke Energy customers lost power in areas of Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Cary.
As of 2 a.m. Friday, there were more than 2,445 power outages in Wake County and nearly 4,955 in Johnston County, according to the North Carolina Emergency Management. Across the state, almost 103,000 outages were reported.
“Flash flooding can occur in many places in central North Carolina,” Cooper said in a news briefing Thursday afternoon.
In the Triangle, Wake County was under a flash flood watch and tropical storm warning as of 12 a.m. on Friday. Areas east and south of Wake were also included in the watch, which was in effect until 7:30 a.m Friday.
“People need to be careful tonight,” the governor said. “If you’re going to get tropical storm winds in your area, its best to stay home, indoors.”
The National Hurricane Center reported at 1 a.m. that the hurricane had been downgraded to a Category 1 storm but remained powerful as its speed increased up the coast to 15 mph.
Gusts of up to 30 mph were measured in Wake County and southeastern Durham County, though forecasts predicted those could rise as high as 45 mph before dawn. Hurricane force winds were expected primarily to the east of Interstate 95.
N.C. Emergency Management meteorologist Katie Webster said conditions would deteriorate overnight Thursday and into Friday morning. The weather is expected to improve starting midday Friday into Friday evening, she said.
Cooper warned people to be cautious, and that flash flooding can occur even when the sun is shining.
The primary threat to the Triangle will be rain, the National Weather Service reported. The high temperature is expected to reach the mid-80s Friday.
The National Weather Service reported no more than an inch and a half of rain across Wake County on Friday evening. The rain was expected to begin clearing by Friday afternoon, NWS officials said.
Flooding is possible in low-lying areas and areas with poor drainage in the western Triangle, NWS forecasters reported.
Hurricane Dorian made landfall along the North Carolina coast, lashing the region with storm surges and tornadoes as the core brushed along the Outer Banks.
As of early Friday morning, it was moving at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Wind gusts were reported at up to 90 mph.
Meteorologists with ABC11 predicted Hurricane Dorian would push up the North Carolina coast Thursday, nearing Morehead City by 2 a.m. Friday and Kill Devil Hills on the northern end of the Outer Banks by 2 p.m. Friday.
This story was originally published September 5, 2019 at 7:52 AM.
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