Sleet, rather than snow or freezing rain was the primary disruptor in the Charlotte area with Sunday’s winter storm. Duke Energy reports just over 46,000 power outages across North and South Carolina this morning. WCNC TV meteorologist Brad Panovich says those without power need to be extra careful today
“Please, if you do not have power or a heat source make sure whatever you’re using has an alternative that is safe because sometimes after the storm we end up with more injuries and fatalities because people are trying to stay warm and generate electricity. ”
Temperatures are expected to reach near 40 this afternoon.
The American Red Cross has four emergency shelters open in the area for people who need a warm place to stay due to power outages after the winter storm. Mallard Creek High School and Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte along with Hopewell High School in Huntersville and the Crews Recreation Center in Matthews are all offering shelter.
Starmed Healthcare is closing all area locations today. The company says its call center and labs will be open to keep processing results but no testing or vaccines are available today.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is in catch-up mode today with over 1,200 flights canceled in the past 24 hours, including about 300 today according to FlightAware.com.
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