Scheduled power outages are NOT planned: Duke Energy says this is a scam
Scheduled power outages are NOT planned: Duke Energy says this is a scam
IT’S 645 IN TIME FOR US TO GO. WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE IMPACTS FROM THE WINTER STORM, ALONG WITH YOUR FORECAST, YOUR TRAFFIC, AND YOUR TOP STORIES. WE START WITH METEOROLOGIST GRACE LOWE. SHE’S LIVE IN GREENVILLE AND GRACE, THERE’S SOME MELTING GOING ON. DESTINY. AARON GOOD MORNING. YOU ARE RIGHT. MELTING ALL AROUND ME. I’M KIND OF HEARING IT DROP FROM THE TREES. AND THAT’S GOOD NEWS. YES, BUT WE HAVE SOME MORE BAD NEWS ON THE WAY AFTER THAT. MELTING WHATEVER HITS THE GROUND COULD POTENTIALLY REFREEZE AGAIN TONIGHT. YOU SEE, ROADS ARE CLEAR BEHIND ME, BUT CERTAINLY GOING TO BE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS INTO TOMORROW MORNING AS TEMPERATURES ARE DROPPING INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. SO WE STILL URGE YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING CAUTION. YOU’RE STAYING HOME TODAY IF YOU CAN LIMIT YOUR TRAVEL. YES, IT LOOKS CLEAR. YES, IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER ON THOSE MAIN ROADWAYS, BUT SECONDARY ROADS STILL. ONCE AGAIN, WE’RE HAVING SOME HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS OUT THERE. SO ICY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA CONTINUING FOR A FEW DAYS JUST BECAUSE REFREEZE IS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. WE’RE STAYING COLD FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BACK TO YOU GUYS. GREAT. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. YOU KNOW, WE’RE ALSO SEEING ICE MELTING FROM TREES IN ANDERSON. YEAH, THAT’S WHERE WE FIND OUR ISABEL MARCH JOINING US LIVE RIGHT NOW ISABEL, THE ROADS ARE ALSO A LITTLE SLUSHY. YEAH. HEY, ERIN AND DESTINY, IT IS LOOKING A LITTLE SLUSHY OUT THERE, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU GUYS SOMETHING HERE FIRST. WE’VE SEEN THAT SLEET KIND OF ACCUMULATE. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN WITH US. I JUST SCRAPED THIS AREA TO SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, AFTER ALL OF THIS IS KIND OF MOVED TO THE SIDE. IT’S JUST KIND OF STRAIGHT ICE. AND IT’S PACKED IN RIGHT HERE. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE STARTING TO SEE ON PARTS OF THE ROADWAYS AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL NEEDING TO BE CLEARED. I KNOW THERE’S A LOT TO CLEAR, THOUGH. SCDOT CREWS ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, BUT JUST BE MINDFUL THAT THESE ROADS ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SLIPPERY THAN THE MAIN ONES, AS CREWS ARE STILL WORKING TO CLEAR IT. AND AS WE’RE WAITING FOR THIS ICE TO MELT. SO SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND IF YOU ARE HEADING TO WORK TODAY. BUT I KNOW WE’RE MONITORING IT AS WELL AS ANDERSON COUNTY OFFICIALS, THEY’RE ALSO WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK FOR THIS, BUT FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN ANDERSON, ISABELLE MARAK WYFF NEWS FOUR. THANK YOU. ISABELLE. LET’S CHECK IN WITH OUR CAITLIN ASHBAUGH YOUR TIME NOW. 647 YOU KNOW, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. THOSE SECONDARY ROADS A BIG CONCERN. PRIMARY ROADS. LOOK ALL RIGHT, CAITLIN, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN SPARTANBURG WHERE YOU ARE IN TERMS OF ALL THE STREETS? HEY, ERIN, WE’RE GOING TO PASS IT ACTUALLY TO POWER LINE CREWS BECAUSE WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF CREWS THAT ARE STARTING THEIR DAY. AS THE SUN RISES, PEOPLE COMING FROM OVER 40 STATES ACROSS STATE LINES TO MAKE SURE FOR THOSE OUTAGES THAT WE’RE HAVING, THAT THEY’RE TAKEN CARE OF. WE HEAR THAT OUTAGES EACH CAN TAKE ABOUT 4 TO 5 HOURS TO COVER, AND WE’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. RIGHT. IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE COULD SEE MORE OUTAGES. SO THESE POWER LINE CREWS ARE ON STANDBY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE TAKEN CARE OF. BUT FOR NOW, REPORTING IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, CAITLIN ASHBAUGH WYFF NEWS FOR KAYLYN. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. MEANWHILE, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA IS ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO FILL THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS EARLY, AND THAT POLICY CHANGE COMES AFTER GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NORTH CAROLINA AHEAD OF A WINTER STORM. CUSTOMERS CAN ACCESS EARLY PRESCRIPTION REFILLS THROUGH FEBRUARY 20TH, BUT AN IMPORTANT NOTE THAT POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. MEANWHILE, ACROSS THE UPSTATE, SEVERAL COLLEGES HAVE ANNOUNCED CLOSURES FOLLOWING THE ICE STORM. SPARTANBURG COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL BE CLOSED TODAY. STAFF SAY ALL CLASSES IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL ARE CANCELED, AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH DECISIONS FROM SPARTANBURG AND CHEROKEE COUNTY LEADERS. AND CLEMSON UNIVERSITY’S MAIN CAMPUS WILL CLOSE TODAY. THERE WILL BE NO E-LEARNING EITHER. A DECISION FOR TUESDAY HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED. ANDERSON UNIVERSITY WILL CONTINUE E-LEARNING ON TUESDAY. IN ADDITION TO TODAY, STAFF SAY THERE ARE NO KNOWN POWER OUTAGES ON CAMPUS. THEY SAY FACILITIES ARE OPERATIONAL, BUT THEY SAY SIDEWALKS AND STREETS ARE DANGEROUS. FURMAN UNIVERSITY WILL REMAIN CLOSED TOMORROW AND IN ADDITION TODAY. THIS IS AN UPDATE FROM YESTERDAY. SCHOOL LEADERS ARE SAYING THAT FACILITY CREWS WILL USE TOMORROW TO MAKE SURE THE CAMPUS IS SAFE FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES. THEY SAY IT WILL ALSO GIVE OFF CAMPUS STUDENTS AND STAFF TIME TO MAKE PLANS TO RETURN SAFELY. SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE SHIFTED THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS FOR TODAY DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. YOU CAN FIND A FULL LIST ON WYFF 4 DOT COM AND SCROLLING AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. PLUS, TEMPERATURES ARE PRETTY COLD STILL THIS MORNING. MOST OF US ARE SITTING AT OR BELOW FREEZING, SO WE’RE STILL FEELING THE IMPACTS FROM YESTERDAY’S FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET. RIGHT NOW, PICKENS FEELS LIKE 32. 29 TOWARDS GREENVILLE DOWN TO TOCCOA, THOUGH 18 DEGREES IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THEN UP TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS, STILL IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. SO WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO FEEL IMPACTS FROM THE SYSTEM. HONESTLY OVER THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE WE WARM UP THIS AFTERNOON TOWARDS ABOUT 40 DEGREES, BUT THEN WE DROP TOWARDS TEN BY TOMORROW MORNING. SO THEN WE GET THE BLACK ICE AND REFREEZING FOR THE AREA. VISIBILITY ALSO LOW IN SPOTS. YOU SHOULDN’T BE OUT ON THE ROADWAYS ANYWAY, BUT IF YOU ARE NOW WE HAVE THE FOG GREENVILLE VISIBILITY DOWN TO LESS THAN HALF A MILE. IT IS DENSE OUT THERE ON OUR CAMERAS. GAFFNEY HALF A MILE. UNION DOWN TO TWO. NOW. SPARTANBURG IS DEFINITELY IMPROVED. THAT WAS DOWN TO HALF A MILE. THEN AS WE TRAVELED FRANKLIN, CULLOWHEE, WALHALLA, HARTWELL UP TO TEN. NOW. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO PICK UP TODAY AS WELL. WE HAD WIND GUSTS NEAR 45 IN ASHEVILLE, NEAR 30 HERE IN GREENVILLE. THESE WILL INCREASE SLIGHTLY FOR TODAY, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE ICE ON THE TREES, THE ICE ON THE POWER LINES. WE COULD SEE MORE POWER OUTAGES. DESTINY. AARON. VICTORIA. THANK YOU. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROADS RIGHT NOW. 650 WE’RE LOOKING AT I-35 AT STONE AVENUE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. AS VICTORIA HAS BEEN MENTIONING THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, VISIBILITY ROUGH IN SOME PARTS OF GREENVILLE AND SPARTANBURG COUNTY. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT ON THE CAMERA HERE. ROADS HAVE BEEN CLEARED SOMEWHAT. THAT SAID, STILL CONCERNS FOR BLACK ICE, STILL CONCERNS FOR SLEET ON THE SIDE. RECOMMEND IF YOU CAN AVOID TRAVELING THIS MORNING. CONTINUE TO DO SO BECAUSE THE SECONDARY ROADS COULD BE AN ISSUE AS WELL. YOU KNOW THIS LOOKS FINE, BUT PARTS OF STONE AVENUE AS WE DROVE THROUGH THIS MORNING HAD ISSUES, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. IF YOU DO ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET OUT. THIS MORNING. WE SEE SOME CARS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW NOT SEEING ANY MAJOR ISSUES AT THAT PARTICULAR SPOT. TRAVEL TIMES ON THE GREEN RIGHT NOW 12 MINUTES, SEVEN MINUTES AND ON 35 NORTHBOUND FAIRVIEW ROAD DOWNTOWN, 18 MINUTES. IF YOU’RE TRYING TO FLY SOMEWHERE OUT OF GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO CHECK IN WITH YOUR AIRLINE THIS MORNING. AT LEAST TEN FLIGHTS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE AROUND 7:00 THIS MORNING HAVE BEEN CANCELED. SOME FLIGHTS LISTED FOR LATER THIS AFTERNOON DO SHOW AN ON TIME STATUS. MEANWHILE, AT THE ASHEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT, ALL DEPARTING FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED THROUGH THE 8:00 HOUR. THE FIRST FLIGHT SET TO LEAVE ON TIME IS TO ORLANDO AT 910. WE’VE ALSO BEEN TRACKING THE NUMBER OF POWER OUTAGES IN OUR AREA ALL THROUGHOUT THE STORM, AND STAYING OFF THE ROADS ALSO MEANS PEOPLE ARE STAYING OUT OF THE WAY. THE POWER CREWS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SO THEY CAN GET TO WHERE THEY’RE GOING SAFELY. AT LAST CHECK, HENDERSON COUNTY HAD THE MAJORITY OF POWER OUTAGES REPORTED TO DUKE ENERGY IN NORTH CAROLINA AT ABOUT 13,000. CREWS ARE WORKING TO RESTORE POWER. THEY SAY THE ESTIMATED TIME OF RESTORATION AS OF RIGHT NOW WILL BE BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WE’RE IN THE MOUNTAINS, SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF HILLS AND A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS. AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT’S A LITTLE ICY AS YOU GO DOWN THE HILL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T REALLY STOP IF YOU GET GOING. SO I THINK THAT’S THE BIGGEST THING. ICE IS JUST NOT A FRIEND OF MOUNTAIN ROADS. AND THAT’S WHY ANYTIME WE HAVE A REAL ICY CONDITION, WE JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TRY AND STAY OFF OF IT. AND WITH THOSE WIND GUSTS IN THE WESTERN CAROLINAS TODAY AND THIS MORNING STILL A CONCERN POWER OUTAGE WISE, WE HAVE A LIST FOR YOU TO CHECK ON OUTAGES AND ALSO DETAIL HOW YOU CAN REPORT THOSE. AND IT INCLUDES UTILITY SERVING CUSTOMERS IN OUR AREA LIKE DUKE ENERGY, LAURENS ELECTRIC AND BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC, AMONG OTHERS. WE HAVE A FULL ARTICLE ON WYFF 4 DOT COM. AND ALSO WE HAVE THAT ON THE WYFF 4 MOBILE APP. WE’VE BEEN UPDATING IT THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. YOUR TIME IS 652. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MEASLES CASES IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS NOW AT 754. NEW CASES WERE IDENTIFIED IN FRIDAY’S UPDATE. THERE WERE SEVERAL NEW PUBLIC EXPOSURES IDENTIFIED AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE ANYTIME FITNESS IN BOILING SPRINGS, THE USPS AND GOODWILL IN GREER AND ALDI IN GAFFNEY. YOU CAN FIND DATES AND TIMES FOR THESE EXPOSURES RIGHT NOW ON WYFF 4 DOT COM. MEANWHILE, TWO NEW MEASLES CASES ARE BEING REPORTED IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY, WHICH IS THE COUNTY THAT INCLUDES CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. HEALTH LEADERS THERE SAY THAT AN UNVACCINATED CHILD GOT THE VIRUS FROM ANOTHER CHILD THEY WERE IN CONTACT WITH IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. THEY SAY THE ADULTS CONTRACTED MEASLES THROUGH CONTACT WITH A TRAVELER. BOTH PATIENTS ARE RECOVERING AT HOME IN ISOLATION. SINCE DECEMBER, A TOTAL OF 13 MEASLES CASE
Scheduled power outages are NOT planned: Duke Energy says this is a scam
Scheduled power outages are NOT planned for Duke Energy customers. The company is warning about a scam targeting utility customers claiming they will be impacted by a scheduled power outage. This message did not come from Duke Energy. What do the roads look like? They are warning customers to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from businesses or individuals they do not know.Video below: Two linemen escape unharmed after tree falls on truck during ice storm:Contact Duke Energy directly to discuss their account or visit company communications channels for the latest updates. Duke Energy will communicate grid conditions through its official communication channels. Duke Energy facebook page | Duke Energy website Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.
Scheduled power outages are NOT planned for Duke Energy customers.
The company is warning about a scam targeting utility customers claiming they will be impacted by a scheduled power outage.
This message did not come from Duke Energy.
They are warning customers to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from businesses or individuals they do not know.
Video below: Two linemen escape unharmed after tree falls on truck during ice storm:
Contact Duke Energy directly to discuss their account or visit company communications channels for the latest updates.
Duke Energy will communicate grid conditions through its official communication channels.
Duke Energy facebook page | Duke Energy website
Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.