Randolph expects 4-6 inches from Michael

Oct. 10--ASHEBORO -- Tropical weather from Hurricane Michael is expected to begin Thursday in Randolph County, peaking in the afternoon and evening hours, before fizzling out Friday morning.

Locally, rainfall totals are predicted to range from 4-6 inches Wednesday to Friday.

Early Wednesday, Michael strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, according to forecasters. The hurricane made landfall at that strength in northwest Florida Wednesday afternoon.

Hurricane Michael is reportedly the strongest hurricane on record to strike the area.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration in Florida on Tuesday. In remarks at the White House, he said officials were "very well prepared" for the storm, which he said was "a big one -- much bigger than they anticipated a week ago."

Hurricane Michael is expected to weaken as it makes its way across the southeastern part of the country, but heavy rain is still likely to be seen in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia.

Unlike Hurricane Florence, Michael will be moving quickly across land, so while flooding is expected in Randolph County, forecasters anticipate it will be less widespread.

According to Wednesday's report from the National Weather Services, central North Carolina will likely see a heavy downpour Wednesday night through Thursday night. This has the potential to result in flooding of low-lying, urban and poor drainage areas, or flash-flooding.

Windy conditions means a few downed trees may be seen, especially ones that were weakened during Florence. Residents can expect to experience 20 to 30 mph sustained winds with 40 to 50 mph gusts.

Isolated tornadoes are possible, mainly south and east of the Triangle.

By mid-day Friday, the sun is expected to be shining across Randolph and surrounding counties.

REMC gets ready

Randolph Electric Membership Corp. (REMC) is also closely monitoring Hurricane Michael's track toward the Carolinas.

According to a press release from REMC, crews are using this time to stock trucks with materials needed for repairs, test equipment to make sure it is ready for use and coordinating with sister cooperatives and contract line crews to assist with power restoration efforts.

The cooperative is ready to respond at a moment's notice.

REMC is preparing for the potential of strong winds and heavy rains that could result in outages. If your electric service is provided by REMC and you experience a power problem or outage, call 1-877-736-2633, (1-877-REMC-OFF).

Members who have enrolled in REMC's SPOTT Alerts Outage Texting program may also text OUT to this number to report an outage at their location. These members should note that outage status updates will be unavailable during storm outage restoration efforts.

Before the storm reaches central North Carolina, REMC recommends the following:

* Make a plan. Outline a communications and evacuation plan for your family. If you have any pets or livestock, include them in your plan.

* Assemble an emergency kit. It should include at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, water and medication, as well as any other items you might need in case of a power outage, such as a flashlight, radio and batteries.

* Make sure REMC has your current contact information listed in your account for the quickest response.

* Charge cell phones and other mobile devices. This will allow you to stay connected to emergency and safety updates even if the power goes out.

* Secure outdoor items. Safely store lawn furniture, decorations, toys, garbage cans and other items that can be brought indoors. Tie down larger objects like boats and trailers.

* Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. Plywood can be used to board up windows and doors if your house doesn't have hurricane shutters.

* Fuel up. Fill vehicles before the storm as a loss of power could put gas pumps out of commission.

* Ensure that generators are properly connected. Make sure portable generators are used in well-ventilated areas. Do not connect a generator to your home's electrical panel or fuse boxes. It may cause electricity to feed back into the power lines, which can endanger linemen and damage electric service facilities.

Visit ready.gov for important safety information and additional preparedness tips.

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