Eastern, United States: About 1.2 million power outages, the cold front came blasting through the Charlotte region around 6 a.m. The Former Charlotte Observer weather writer Steve Lyttle shared the weather update on Carolina, United States.
He took to his official social media account and highlighted in the statement, “The weather outside is … OK, I’ll say it … frightful! The meteorological term for this storm system and arctic outbreak is “ridiculous” … or “stupid.”
The cold front came blasting through the Charlotte region around 6 a.m. Winds gusted to 55 mph at times this morning in the Piedmont, causing more than 150,000 power outages in North Carolina. Over the entire eastern half of the United States, more than 1.2 million customers are without power — in conditions when power is dearly needed.
In North Carolina, the worst impacts have been up near the Virginia border, but don’t tell that to the nearly 11,000 Mecklenburg County customers currently without electricity.
At 5 a.m. in Charlotte, it was 48 degrees. An hour later, winds were gusting above 50 mph, and the temperature fell into the upper 20s by 10 a.m. We’re fortunate. The same sort of flash freeze and fierce winds took place in Tennessee, but a chunk of that state also got snow and ice. Around here, we’re dealing with the wind and the cold.
I’ve included a link to the U.S. wind map. Steve further added in the statement, “If you look over Ontario, you’ll see where the center of this huge storm currently is. For reference sake, this storm is somewhat similar to a system that impacted the East and the Great Lakes in January 1977.”
Read here the full weather update:
So what now? Be prepared for the near-record cold tonight. If you have a chance, put insulating devices on your outdoor spigots. You might want to consider allowing the water to trickle from one or two spigots in your home overnight, to help keep the pipes from freezing.
Make sure your car’s gas tank is not nearly empty. Protect your pets. And above all, limit your time outdoors. I know a lot of people are doing last-minute Christmas errands today (me too!), but bundle up, and don’t stay outdoors for long.
To keep your homes warm, you might want to consider keeping your doors locked and the blinds closed on your windows. That will help cut down on drafts. Put on a sweatshirt. Use your fireplace.
Two things to remember: First, it’ll be much warmer for New Years. Freezing on Christmas, maybe shorts for New Years Day. Also, it’s a lot worse up north. Here’s the 2 p.m. weather report from Cleveland:
- Heavy Snow
- Blowing Snow
- Southwest sustained winds of 28 mph, gusting to 45 mph
- Air temperature: -3
- Wind chill: -11
A little closer to home, at Jefferson in Ashe County:
- Cloudy
- West wind sustained at 24 mph, gusting to 40 mph
- Air temperature: 2 degrees
- Wind chill: -8 degrees (and it’s -7 degrees atop Mount Jefferson)
TODAY: Sunny, windy and very cold. West winds of 20 mph, gusting at times to 35 mph. Temperatures in the mid 20s, with wind chills around 10 degrees.
TONIGHT: Clear and bitterly cold, with a low of 8 degrees. The record is 6, set in 1983. Winds will be out of the west-northwest at 10-15 mph, with gusts to 25 mph. Wind chills will drop to -5 degrees at times.
SATURDAY: Sunshine but bitterly cold, with a high of 26. West winds of 8-10 mph, with gusts to 20 mph. Wind chills will be below zero in the morning and around 10 degrees at times in the afternoon. Dress VERY warmly, if you’re attending the Panthers-Lions game (I wonder if the Detroit Lions looked at the NFL schedule last summer, saw the Dec. 24 date in Charlotte, and said, “Well, at least we’ll be warm for Christmas!”)
CHRISTMAS EVE: Clear and bitterly cold, with a low of 12.
CHRISTMAS DAY: Sunny, with temperatures climbing above freezing in the early afternoon. Eventually, we’ll reach 36 degrees.
CHRISTMAS NIGHT: Clear and very cold, with a low of 16.
MONDAY: Sunshine, for the most part, with a high of 39.
TUESDAY: Sunshine and cold. High of 44.
WEDNESDAY: A mix of sun and clouds and a bit milder, with a high near 50.
THURSDAY: A mix of sun and clouds. High of 53.
