GREENSBORO, N.C. — Hurricane Idalia is rapidly intensifying. It is in the Gulf of Mexico now. It is heading toward Florida, and they are getting ready for conditions to go downhill quickly. Here at home, the Carolinas are on guard too.
Duke Energy warns customers of potential outages that the weather may bring to the Triad.
All eyes are on Florida as Hurricane Idalia heads for the Gulf Coast. From there, the storm is predicted to move northward toward the Carolina with impacts expected as early as Wednesday evening through Thursday.
Idalia will weaken but still have the potential to bring heavy rains, high winds, and widespread outages to the eastern and coastal areas of the Carolinas.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of Hurricane Idalia.
A state of emergency activates the state's emergency operations plan and waives transportation rules to help get fuel and critical supplies wherever they need to go. It also helps the agricultural industry prepare in advance for bad weather and protects consumers from price gouging.
Duke Energy crews are preparing for impacts to their service area and will be ready to respond to whatever the storm may bring. Since a storm's path and severity are often difficult to predict, the company encourages customers to prepare as well:
- If you're experiencing a power outage, please report on the Duke Energy website or through the mobile app, or text OUT to 57801
- Stay informed and sign up to receive outage alerts and bookmark the outage map to stay updated on estimated restoration times.
- Visit the Duke Energy storm center for tips on ways to stay safe before, during, and after severe weather hits.
- Download the WFMY News 2 app to stay updated with the latest weather in the Triad
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Subscribe to our daily newsletter Let’s Get 2 It!
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.