****UPDATE: Chatham County officials said as of 2:45 p.m. Thursday power outages had dipped to around 2,400.****

Chatham County has declared a State of Emergency amid widespread power outages after approximately 12 inches of snow fell in portions of the county on Wednesday.

The declaration went into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday “due to the impact of the excessive snow and resulting power outages.”

County officials reported that 5,786 Chatham County residents were without power as of 7 a.m. Thursday. Utility crews were working to restore that power, prioritizing “main power feeder lines and outages affecting large concentrations of customers.”

Many roadways across Chatham County remain unplowed as of Thursday morning. And the emergency declaration allows for “inter-municipal and inter-county mutual aid,” according to the county.

Chatham County opened shelter locations Wednesday night and officials reported 11 residents reported to those locations. The county’s shelter at the Eastern Senior Center in Pittsboro will be open “as long as needed.” Residents are asked to call (919) 545-8164 before traveling to the shelter and to bring all medications as well as food, water, toiletries and other personal items. The shelter has closed as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Otherwise, county officials are asking residents to stay off the roads, if possible.

Orange County has also declared a State of Emergency.

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