A strong winter storm moved quickly through North Carolina Wednesday night into Thursday, leaving three deaths, significant snow, and scattered power outages, Governor Roy Cooper said Thursday. While the snow will end by mid-day, bitterly cold temperatures will remain through the weekend, and refreezing will make it difficult to clear roads.
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State officials are preparing for North Carolina’s first winter storm of 2018 and people in areas that could see snow are encouraged to do the same, Governor Roy Cooper said Tuesday.
A winter storm watch begins Wednesday for many eastern North Carolina counties and snowfall is expected across the coastal plain on Wednesday afternoon and night. Bitter cold air from an arctic high pressure system means temperatures statewide are expected to average well below normal for the rest of the week.
State emergency and transportation officials are closely monitoring weather and road conditions, and are ready to respond if needed as North Carolina receives the season’s first blast of winter weather, Governor Roy Cooper said Friday.
Governor Roy Cooper today announced that financial assistance is available through the U.S. Small Business Administration for residents affected by storms that struck Watauga and surrounding counties last month. This SBA disaster declaration makes low-interest loans available to home and business owners and renters in those areas. Governor Cooper requested this federal assistance in a letter to the SBA last week.
Cleanup and damage assessment work continues in several western North Carolina counties after Monday’s strong storms and tornadoes.
One person died this morning during that cleanup work. A 31-year-old tree service contractor for a utility company was killed early Wednesday morning while working to clear a tree from a power line in Alexander County. The worker was crushed when the tree snapped back and fell on him.
A line of strong storms moved across North Carolina Monday afternoon and evening devastating a regional airport, damaging dozens of homes, toppling trees, closing roads and leaving several western North Carolina communities without power.
“While this band of storms brought high wind, rains and some damage, we’re fortunate that we’ve had no reports of serious injuries or loss of life,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Today, communities are surveying the damage and beginning the cleanup, and our state experts stand ready to help however needed.”
Governor Roy Cooper reminded North Carolinians to remain ready and aware as the state begins to feel rain and winds from Hurricane Irma later today. National Guard soldiers, Highway Patrol troopers and rescue teams are poised and ready to go if needed.
“We’re grateful that the brunt of the storm will miss us, but our entire state will see some impacts from Irma and especially Western North Carolina,” Governor Cooper said. “Things are looking better for North Carolina, but we’re not out of the woods yet and we don’t want any surprises.”
North Carolina has opened three N.C. National Guard (NCNG) staging areas and five shelters in preparation for Hurricane Irma, Governor Cooper said today. The National Guard is positioning soldiers and equipment in Greensboro, Charlotte and Asheville. Gov. Cooper visited the Greensboro site Sunday.
Nonprofits operating in 13 hard-hit North Carolina counties will get $810,000 to help volunteers rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew, Governor Roy Cooper said today during a visit to Robeson and Columbus counties.
Gov. Cooper announced the grants while visiting a flood-damaged home in Lumberton that was rebuilt by volunteers with the United Methodist Church.
Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order declaring a Type 1 disaster in Sampson County and the contiguous counties of Bladen, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Johnston, Pender, and Wayne.
The disaster declaration authorizes state emergency assistance grants to be dispersed to individuals and families in affected areas.
On May 30, 2017, Sampson and surrounding counties suffered damaging straight-line winds from severe thunderstorms. Residents in the area reported damaged or destroyed homes and businesses, downed trees, obstructed roads, and farm damage.