Orange and Chatham counties suffered flooded roads from rainfall and downed power lines from high winds during a powerful storm system on Tuesday.

Shortly after the National Weather Service issued its first flash flood warning from the storm, the Town of Chapel Hill reported flooding along Umstead Drive — with water washing over the road between Pritchard Avenue Extension and Greene Street. Later on Tuesday, the town warned travelers to avoid South Estes Drive between Franklin Street and Fordham Boulevard due to lanes were closed due to high water. All roads impacted by flooding normal traffic patterns at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the town.

 

Other creeks and low-lying areas in Chapel Hill also so much flooding, with Chapelboro readers sharing photos of flooding around Bolin Creek in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The Orange Water and Sewer Authority said it responded to a report of water overflowing from a manhole cover to the sewers. The local agency said around 1,500 gallons overflowed from the spot, with the water receding within 30 minutes of the report. OWASA said on Wednesday state officials were notified of the overflow, but no further action was required by its response crews on Tuesday night.

The foot traffic tunnel under Pritchard Avenue Extension in Chapel Hill saw the nearby Bolin Creek Flood it on Tuesday night during the storm. (Photo via Laura Sligar.)

A sewer pipe in Carrboro near Bolin Creek overflows and floods with storm water on January 9, 2024. (Photo via Anthony Altemara.)

In Carrboro, Jones Ferry Road also experienced flooding late Tuesday afternoon — causing Chapel Hill Transit to detour some of its routes that use the road.

The Town of Hillsborough also warned residents about active flash flooding, saying the Churton Street and Orange Grove Road intersection was closed due to severe floodwaters. Other streets also saw high waters, including Baycourt Trail, Nash Street and Wake Street.

Hillsborough’s cleanup from the storm continued on Wednesday, with the town saying the Riverwalk and Gold Park are closed to all travelers as crews clean up water, silt, and debris.

Power Outages

According to Duke Energy’s Outage Map, several communities within Orange, Chatham and Durham counties experienced a loss of power during Tuesday’s storm.

As of 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Duke Energy reported 50 active outages in Orange County, meaning close to 4,000 Orange County customers had no power. That included several people in Hillsborough and Efland. Meanwhile, northeast Chapel Hill, Carrboro and much of downtown Durham also reported hundreds of customers experiencing outages.

Much of downtown Hillsborough, as well as neighborhoods stretching north into rural Orange County, reported outages caused by wind and downed trees. (Photo via Duke Energy, as of 7:15 p.m.)

Neighborhoods of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Durham also experienced a loss of power Tuesday night. (Photo via Duke Energy, as of 7:15 p.m.)

Much of Chatham County’s power outages stemmed from more than 600 customers without power around Siler City.

School Delays

As a result of the power outages and debris from the storm, two school districts announced delays for students and families for Wednesday morning.

Orange County Schools cited “the potential for hazardous travel in the morning” for its decision to have a two-hour delay for all students and staff. Chatham County Schools, meanwhile, said power outages and downed trees in the county were the main contributors to its own two-hour delay for the district.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools encouraged students and staff on Tuesday night to prepare for normal hours of instruction on Wednesday, noting many outages, flooding, and debris caused by the storm are expected to subside by the morning.

Tornado Watch

Orange, Chatham and Durham counties were also under a tornado watch on Tuesday, as was much of central North Carolina. The National Weaver Service issued the watch shortly before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, saying the region could be at risk for tornadoes, hail and significant wind. The agency forecasted scattered gusts of wind potentially up to 70 mph, escalating the strong winds expected across central North Carolina.

While northern Durham County and some areas north of Orange and Chatham saw tornado warnings, the National Weather Service did not confirm any tornado touchdown in the community.

 

The announcement came after the National Weather Service included Orange, Chatham and Durham counties in its wind advisory set in place for Tuesday. The region also experienced a severe thunderstorm warning, which lasted for approximately two hours and expired at 6:15 p.m.

As preparation for the possibility of tornadoes, power outages, or any other results of severe weather, the National Weather Service recommended people check emergency supplies and discuss any emergency plans with those nearby. If a tornado warning occurs, people are urged to move to a low floor in a sturdy building, stay in an interior room, and to avoid windows.

More information on the differences between tornado watches and tornado warnings, as well as safety tips, can be found on the National Weather Service website.

Emergency Alerts

The Orange County Alerts system, as well as Alert Carolina for the UNC community, sent out their own respective messages to residents to make people aware of the tornado watch. In its message to the campus community, UNC said it would move its operations to Condition 1 starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday through the rest of the day — meaning people should “consider their own personal circumstances” to determine whether to proceed like normal.

Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency for North Carolina on Monday evening, urging people to be prepared on Tuesday for any flooding or power outages.

 

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Powerful Storm Kills 2 People and Leaves 1.1 Million Without Power in Eastern US
Written by ASHRAF KHALIL AND JEFFREY COLLINS At least two people died, thousands of U.S. flights were canceled or delayed, and more than 1.1 million homes and businesses lost power Monday as severe storms, including hail and lightning, moved through the eastern U.S. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the greater D.C. area, lasting until […]
Orange, Chatham School Districts Announce Early Releases Ahead of Tuesday Storms
Ahead of high winds and severe storms expected in central North Carolina on Tuesday, Orange and Chatham County school districts are planning for early releases. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools and Chatham County Schools districts each sent out messages to parents on Monday night, saying their operations will only run for part […]
Orange, Chatham Counties Included in Tornado Watch Issued for NC
Orange and Chatham counties, as well as much of central and eastern North Carolina, are under a tornado watch on Sunday.
Southern California Prepares for More Floods as Post-Tropical Storm Hilary Brings More Rain
Written by CHRISTOPHER WEBER, DAMIAN DOVARGANES and JORDI LEBRIJA Tropical Storm Hilary deluged arid parts of Mexico and then drenched Southern California from the coast to the desert resort city of Palm Springs and inland mountains, forcing rescuers to pull several people from swollen rivers. Even as the storm subsides across the coast, flooding and mudslides […]
Adverse Weather Leads to Flood Warning, Power Outages in Orange and Chatham Counties
The string of storms moving across the southeast caused some adverse conditions in the Triangle, with Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Durham among the areas issued alerts from the National Weather Service. A flash flood warning was in effect for several hours on Friday in the towns, as rain caused rapid rises in creeks and streams. […]
Orange, Durham Schools End Week Early Due to Severe Weather Forecast
The threat of severe thunderstorms, high winds and potentially hail has the school systems in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties changing plans on Friday. Durham Public Schools announced around 10:30 a.m. they would be ending classes two hours earlier than normal because of the weather forecast, with all after-school activities being canceled as well. Due […]
Easter Storms Sweep South, Killing at least 19 People
Severe weather has swept across the South, killing at least 19 people and damaging hundreds of homes from Louisiana into the Appalachian Mountains. Many people spent part of the night early Monday sheltering in basements, closets and bathroom tubs as sirens wailed to warn of possible tornadoes. Eleven people were killed in Mississippi, and six […]
Crews Working to Restore Power Across Orange County After Overnight Storms
More than 500 customers are without power Monday morning, according to Duke Energy, after a strong line of storms passed through southern Orange County Sunday night. Most of the remaining outages are focused in the neighborhood between Fordham Boulevard and Erwin Road in Chapel Hill, but there are outages spread across the county. After initially […]
Orange County Under Tornado Watch
The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a Tornado Watch ranging from South Carolina to Virginia, including much of central North Carolina. Orange, Durham and Chatham counties are all included in the watch. The watch went into effect at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 15, and is in place until 11 p.m. Sunday. Storms have […]
Severe Thunderstorms Rip Through Orange County
Severe thunderstorms ripped through Orange County and much of the rest of central North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon. A Tornado Warning was issued for Chapel Hill and Durham until 5. While stormed may have passed Orange County, debris remains scattered on roadways.  There were also reports of fallen trees and possibly fallen power lines. Several Twitter users shared images […]
›