Major Power Failures in the Southeast

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Note: forecast radar for midnight at the bottom of this post. 

A video from North Carolina shows a shorted electrical line on fire as a result of ice-laded tree limbs leaning into the line. The video is quite dramatic, especially with the sound of the off-camera transformer shorting out. 

As of 4:30pm EST, the winterized radar shows the freezing rain moving out of North Carolina and into Virginia. Snow has begun in the Washington area.

Also, as of 4:30, poweroutage.us shows extensive power failures in the Southeast. Some of the outages in Florida are due to the morning tornado outbreak (posting below).
Total outages in the four states are 204,000 homes and businesses which equals about 500,000 people without power. This includes a recent 5,000 customers in Virginia which are not yet showing on the map. 

Below is the forecast radar for midnight. 



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