A storm system with high winds moving through North Carolina began causing power outages Thursday morning, leaving repair crews scrambling.
As of 10 a.m., Duke Energy Progress reported more than 16,000 customers without power in central and eastern North Carolina, with more than 8,000 of them in Sanford. Power went out in a part of west Sanford near U.S. 1 shortly after the Weather Channel’s mobile app warned of approaching winds with gusts of up to 50 mph.
As the storm progressed, it tested the tensile strength of tall pines in the city’s oldest neighborhoods and caused pine cones to fall to the ground.
Duke Energy alerted affected customers that crews were dispatched and power should be restored by 11 a.m.
The National Weather Service said wind gusts of up to 35 mph can be expected during the day Thursday and overnight Friday as a cold front moves through the state. Severe storms are possible through Thursday afternoon, forecasters say, with heavy rain and strong winds locally.
