Extremely cold weather is coming to our area Friday evening through Monday.
A Wind Chill Advisory has been issued from 7 p.m. Friday until 9 a.m. Saturday. Wind chills as low as -5 degrees are possible.
A Wind Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service until 6 p.m. Friday. Sustained winds of 15-25 mph with occasional gusts between 30-40 mph are expected into the early evening. A period of gusts of 45-50 mph is possible in the morning. These strong winds could blow around unsecured objects, including holiday decorations. Tree limbs could be blown down and power outages may result.
The Town of Carrboro is closely monitoring the forecast and will continue to monitor for the next several days. Public Works, Police Department, and Fire Department personnel are monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any emergencies or hazards as they arise.
Tips for staying warm
Heat your home safely. It’s going to be extremely cold this weekend. The Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department has provided safety tips for staying warm, including:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or portable space heater.
- Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Don’t use outdoor grills, open flames or your oven to keep your house warm.
- Don’t overload your electrical circuits; space heaters use a lot of electricity.
- Plug space heaters into wall sockets — not power strips — and keep them away from flammable materials such as bedding or curtains.
- Make sure your furnace is not overheating.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
- Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
- Test your smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly.
- If you have any gas fueled appliances and/or have a fireplace you should have a Carbon Monoxide alarm in addition to smoke alarms.
Be Prepared
Though little to no precipitation is expected, extreme cold and low wind chills can be dangerous. Please access the following resources:
Helping Others
The IFC shelter is accepting donations of jackets, blankets and more. A free, hot meal is another service the IFC is offering throughout the week. Contact (919) 929-6380 or info@ifcmailbox.org or drop by 110 W. Main St., Carrboro.
The IFC, or Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, is a local nonprofit whose mission is to confront the causes and respond to the effects of poverty in the community.
Preventing Frozen Pipes
(From NC State Extension / NC State University - English/Spanish)
When temperatures drop below freezing – especially for a significant amount of time – the potential for frozen pipes increases dramatically.
Learn more at https://healthyhomes.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/01/preventing-frozen-pipes-2/
Reporting Power Outages
A power outage is NOT an emergency. Please call your local power company to report an outage.
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