Freezing rain skirts Raleigh, causes 160,000+ power outages across North Carolina

Over 160,000 power outages have been reported across the state, as North Carolina saw freezing rain fall overnight and into Saturday morning.

While the freezing rain has largely stayed north of the Triangle, forecasts warn the icy rain will continue in the Triangle and other parts of the state until midday Saturday. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until noon Sunday as hazardous travel conditions are expected to persist. Black ice is also possible, forecasts warn.

In the northern part of the state — including Caswell, Rockingham, and Stokes counties — a winter storm warning remains active until noon Sunday. It warns power outages and tree damage are likely, with travel potentially becoming impossible.

Winter storm warnings had also been issued for Warren, Vance, Granville, Person, Forsyth and Guilford counties — but they were canceled Saturday afternoon. Winter weather advisories remain in effect in these counties.

Outages have struck residents across the state amid the freezing weather, with hundreds in the Triangle without power. Duke Energy reported upwards of 160,000 total power outages in NC on Saturday, mainly concentrated in Vance, Granville, Guilford and Forsyth counties.

In and around Greensboro, where more outages have been reported than anywhere else in the state, 77,000 outages have been reported.

This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 8:54 AM.