“Blow ye winds in morning, blow ye winds, high-ho. Clear away your running gear, and blow ye winds, high-ho.”
Those words from an old sea shanty may be appropriate today as winds from 15 to 21 mph are expected from the west, with gusts up to 33 mph forecast. A sharp cold front from from the west is pushing the high winds ahead of it. The cold front is brining rain with it.
The gusts are capable of downing tree limbs and power lines.
Around the area, preparations were made as the cold front approached Wednesday.
“As per usual, we take down the flags. We secure any of the trash cans that may be blowing away. Depending on where the wind is coming from, we are either loosening or tightening dock lines,” said Teresa Hamilton, who oversees the city’s docks, on Wednesday afternoon. “We’ll make sure everything else is secure. If we’ve got something flapping, we’ll fix it before it flaps off.”
“Disasters can happen anytime, it’s important that everyone has a plan,” said Victoria Kling, response manager, for the Eastern N.C. Region of the American Red Cross. “Simple steps such as talking with your family about what to do if there is an emergency and building a preparedness kit can offer peace of mind when faced with emergency situations.”
North Carolina and local emergency management officials are reminding North Carolinians to stay tuned to local media and NOAA weather radios today as the front moves across the state.
“Our emergency managers at the state and local level have been working with meteorologists and are closely monitoring the weather,” said Department of Public Safety Secretary Kieran Shanahan. “They are an experienced team and ready to respond to any emergencies.”
Meteorologists advise that residents may see damaging wind gusts without lightning and thunder.