Gusty Winds Causing Downed Trees and Power Outages in CSRA
The weather outside is frightful today, literally. As we move into Christmas weekend, a massive winter storm is wreaking havoc on many parts of the country, including the CSRA. It was 52 degrees in Augusta at 5:30 am, then by 10 am the temperature had already dropped nearly 20 degrees. It’s expected to dip to around 25 degrees by this afternoon with wind gusts of over 40 miles per hour. The low tonight is expected to drop to 14 degrees and a wind chill advisory is in effect from 7 pm until 11 am Saturday. The advisory area includes all portions of east central Georgia and central South Carolina.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office has activated its emergency response team and are prepared to assist Burke EMA in cutting and removing trees and debris from roadways as a result of the wind. Authorities are asking people to stay home, stay warm, and only travel if necessary.
The wind chill tonight could range from five below to five above zero.
Strong winds through tonight will most likely cause power outages, which creates an even greater danger since people could be left without heat. Wearing extra layers of clothing will help if there’s a short-term outage. Make sure you have an emergency supply kit for both your home and vehicle. Keep pipes in your home from freezing by shutting off the valve that allows water to come into your home. Then open any drain valves and all faucets and let them run until the pipes are empty. Also, make sure you have batteries for flashlights and make sure your cell phones are charged.
Don’t forget about your pets! Authorities say once the wind chill drops below 20 degrees, no pets should stay outside for more than 30 minutes.
