Storms and Power Outages in the Carolinas: A Super Simple Guide

What Happened on Friday?

On Friday afternoon, big rains and loud thunderstorms rolled through the Charlotte area (that’s a city in North Carolina). Because of the wild weather, many people’s electricity stopped working — we call this a "power outage" (when the lights and TVs go dark because the power company can’t send electricity to your home).

Here’s what we knew as of 11 p.m. on Friday, July 10:

• More than 21,200 Duke Energy customers (these are people who pay Duke Energy to bring electricity to their homes) across North and South Carolina had no power.
• Most of those outages were around Charlotte. A few bigger outages were also in Raleigh and Anderson County, South Carolina.
• More than 15 customers of a smaller local power group called Union Power Cooperative were also without power.
• Good news: Blue Ridge Energy said they had no outages at that time.

What’s the Weather Going to Do Next?

The sky wasn’t done yet! Here is the simple breakdown:

• Friday evening: Scattered rain and thunderstorms were moving through. These storms could be strong, with wind that can break things and maybe some street flooding (when water gets too high on roads).
• The Weekend: A "cold front" (think of it like a big push of cooler air moving in) was expected to bring more storms. It wasn’t going to rain every single minute (not a "washout"), but several rounds of thunderstorms would roll across the Carolinas.

Tip: You can check the WBTV First Alert Weather team’s forecast (linked in the original source) to see the latest weather predictions.

Super Important: Avoid Downed Power Lines!

When storms blow through, electricity wires can fall down. This is very dangerous. Duke Energy gave us some easy-to-follow safety tips:

• Stay far away from any power lines that have fallen or are hanging low.
• Assume they are deadly: Pretend every power line — and any tree, branch, or object touching it — is filled with electricity and will hurt you.
• Report it: If you see a dangerous line, call Duke Energy at 800-228-8485 or your local emergency helpers.
• Protect the little ones: Keep kids and pets away from yards, fields, or schools where lines might have fallen.

What if a Power Line Falls on Your Car?

If you are sitting in a car and a wire falls on it, follow these steps:

1. Stay inside the car and wait for help.
2. Only get out if you absolutely have to (like if the car is on fire or there is another immediate threat).
3. If you must exit, jump out of the car so you land on both feet at the same time.
4. Don’t touch the car and the ground at the same time — keep your body completely clear of the vehicle as your feet hit the dirt.

CALL OUT: A fallen power line can kill you. Always stay far away and warn others!

Power Outage Maps and Company Contacts

The nice folks at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety helped share a list of power companies in North Carolina and their phone numbers, so you know who to call or where to look if your lights go out.

North Carolina Power Companies

Here is a simple list of the companies (many are "EMCs," which stands for Electric Membership Cooperatives — basically local groups that provide power to members) and their phone numbers:

• Duke Energy: 800-769-3766
• Duke Energy Progress: 800-419-6356
• Dominion Energy: 866-366-4357
• Albemarle EMC: 800-274-2072
• Blue Ridge Electric: 800-448-2383
• Brunswick EMC: 800-682-5309
• Cape Hatteras Electric Coop.: 866-511-9862
• Carteret-Craven Electric Coop.: 800-682-2217
• Central EMC: 877-766-6769
• City of Concord (Concord Electric Systems): (number not listed in source)
• Edgecombe-Martin County EMC: 800-690-0657
• Energy United: 800-386-4833
• Four County EMC: 888-368-7289
• French Broad EMC: 828-649-2051
• Halifax EMC: 800-690-0522
• Haywood EMC: 800-951-6088
• Jones-Onslow EMC: 800-681-4146
• Lumbee River EMC: 800-683-5571
• Pee Dee EMC: 800-693-0190
• Piedmont EMC: 800-449-2667
• Pitt and Greene EMC: 800-622-1362
• Randolph EMC: 877-736-2633
• Roanoke Electric Cooperative: 800-358-9437
• Rutherford EMC: 800-521-0920
• South River EMC: 800-338-5530
• Surry-Yadkin EMC: 336-356-4141
• Tideland EMC: 800-637-1079
• Tri-County EMC: 800-548-4869
• Union Power: 800-794-4423
• Wake EMC: 800-743-3155
• Wilson Energy: 252-399-2424

South Carolina

The original report included a section heading for South Carolina power companies (specific company details were not provided in the source text, but the heading was present).

Share Your Weather Pictures and Get the App

Even though the storms hit in July, the original alert asked folks to share photos or videos of the winter weather (as written in the source) to the QCit album so WBTV might show them on TV or online. Just tell them what town you were in!

Also, you can download the free WBTV Weather app on your phone to get storm alerts and forecasts on the go. You can also get their streaming app on your smart TV.

Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.

Summary

To wrap it up simply: Heavy storms on Friday caused over 21,000 Duke Energy customers in the Carolinas to lose power, mostly around Charlotte. More storms were expected over the weekend. If you see a fallen power line, stay far away and call for help. Keep the power company phone numbers handy, and stay safe!

FAQ

1. What should I do if my power goes out during a storm?
First, stay calm and check if your neighbors lost power too. You can report it to your power company using the phone numbers listed above (like Duke Energy at 800-769-3766). Keep flashlights ready!

2. Why are downed power lines so dangerous?
Even if they look harmless, they might still have electricity flowing through them. Touching one (or a tree touching one) can cause serious injury. Always stay far away and call 800-228-8485 to report it.

3. Will it storm all weekend long?
No! The weather folks said it won’t be a total washout (constant rain). But there will be several rounds of thunderstorms as a cold front moves through, so keep an umbrella nearby.

4. Where can I see a live map of who has no power?
You can visit Duke Energy’s outage map online or the websites of local co-ops like Union Power. The article above lists contacts for many North Carolina companies.

5. How can I get weather updates on my phone?
Download the free WBTV Weather app from your app store. It will send you alerts and give you the latest forecast wherever you are.