PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Thousands of people in Hampton Roads and northern North Carolina have lost power on Friday as a powerful cold front moves into the area.
As of 5 p.m. Friday, Dominion Energy says 17,000 customers are still without power in southeast Virginia and Northern North Carolina, and crews will continue working to restore power throughout the evening Friday and on Saturday.
Dominion says its goal is to restore nearly all remaining customers impacted by the storm by 11 p.m. on Saturday. If a restoration project extends past 11 p.m. on Saturday, Dominion says they will contact those customers
Dominion says strong wind gusts have been knocking down trees and branches, mostly in areas near the coast and where there are more trees.
“We know how hard it is to lose power in the cold and over the holidays. Our crews are out in force, working as safely and quickly as possible to restore service,” said Dominion spokesperson Bonita Billingsley Harris.
Dominion is sharing these tips in the meantime:
- Use Dominion’s mobile app and website to report outages and track restoration.
- Stay away from downed poles and power lines. If you see a downed pole or wire, please report it by calling 866-DOM-HELP and stay at least 30 feet away. The line could be energized and dangerous.
- Keep your devices fully charged in case you lose power.
- Make sure your generator is fueled, tested and properly connected. Always operate it outdoors with good ventilation.
- Prepare food, water and emergency supplies. During any storm, it’s always good to have bottled water and non-perishable food on hand, as well as emergency supplies such as flashlights, batteries, first aid kits and medications.
Wind gusts are expected to be over 40 mph in spots on Friday, and the temperatures will drop as low as about 0 degrees Friday night.
You can report outages and view the outage map for Dominion here.
Read more about the storm and what to expect here.
