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UPDATE: Freezing rain causes power outages

Duke Energy employee Austin Morris worked with other members of his crew to restore power in the Green River community Saturday morning. [AMY MCCRAW/Hendersonville Lightning]

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 6, 2024

Freezing rain caused several hundred power outages in southern Henderson County early Saturday as ice-covered trees came down across power lines. Duke Energy reported that 375 customers were without power around 10 a.m. Power outages were clustered around Green River, Flat Rock and East Flat Rock.

The National Weather Service had issued a winter storm warning on Friday for Henderson Transylvania, Rutherford and Polk counties, forecasting sleet and freezing rain that could bring down trees, cause power outages and make travel "nearly impossible."

The NWS said the area could get an icy covering of up three-tenths of an inch from 11 Friday night to 11 a.m. Saturday. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Freezing rain could change to rain from 11 a.m.to 4 p.m. when the temperature rises to around 43. The forecast called for a low around 30 Saturday night and high of 45 on Sunday under sunny skies.