The latest information and details for the University community about campus emergencies and other incidents.

Severe Weather Advisory

Thursday, November 10, 2022 (1:00 P.M. EST)

Note: The safety of the NC Wesleyan University community is our highest priority. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to make decisions based on their own personal safety.

WEATHER STATUS
Current weather forecasts indicate that subtropical storm Nicole will move across the Florida panhandle this morning and quickly turn north. Nicole has moved further west than predicted and will cross NC in its western section, not the state’s center. Nicole will pass through NC Friday, the 11^th of November, and will be north of NC by Saturday morning. Moderate winds, followed by intermittent heavy rains, are still expected.

There is a flood watch for the NC mountains this weekend.

Nicole is expected to be a Subtropical Depression when it impacts our area.

Our area has been upgraded from level 2 to level 3 for severe weather or tornadoes. The biggest concern for our area now is wind gusts up to, possibly exceeding, 30 mph and the chance of small isolated tornadoes. If you see or hear a rapid rise in the wind, seek shelter in the lowest portion of any sturdy structure and remain away from windows and doors. A shelter location guide is on the rear door of all residence hall rooms. The wind should start picking up Thursday after midnight and become steady Friday with strong rain bands at times. Nicole is predicted to leave moderate rain amounts in our area. Flooding is not anticipated in eastern NC.

UNIVERSITY STATUS
North Carolina Wesleyan University will operate normally, as no impacts are expected. For safety precautions, please take a moment to be sure you have completed the following:

• Make sure we have your proper contact information.
• Our campus buildings are sturdy structures. Should high winds come our way, follow the instructions of staff and move to the center of hallways, well away from any glass. If you are on the third floor, move to a lower floor.
• If we have significant rainfall, trees could fall because of the ground being soaked and from high winds. Stay indoors for protection— flying debris, falling limbs, trees, or downed power lines create significant risk.
• If we have a power loss, we will work with Dominion Energy and the City of Rocky Mount to restore power as soon as possible. CANDLES ARE PROHIBITED IN ANY CAMPUS BUILDING. Flashlights, battery-powered lanterns, or electronic devices may be used instead. If the power goes out, emergency lights at exits and stairwells will operate due to our emergency generator in all main buildings and residence halls. At the Quad (Boddie, Jin, Bradley & Taylor Halls), emergency lighting is on battery backup. Therefore, lighting in these buildings will stay on for a short period of time (approximately 15-90 minutes) but eventually will go out. In this case, we will have battery lanterns to place in halls and stairwells.
• If you have to go out in a vehicle, NEVER drive through a flooded road, Turn Around- Don’t Drown®. Freshwater drowning is the highest casualty of all hurricane deaths, followed by electrocutions from stepping on downed power lines.
• One of the most dangerous aspects of these types of storms is their ability to spin up small, quickly forming, weak tornadoes without warning. If you hear a loud roar of wind or see debris in the air, seek immediate shelter in a low area of a structure and remain away from windows and doors. Areas for severe weather sheltering are marked throughout campus with green lettering on white signs.

VEHICLES
All students on campus are encouraged to move their cars to The Dunn Center parking lots. The Dunn Center is well-drained and has fewer trees in its vicinity, which will minimize branches falling on cars and any flooding concerns. However, DO NOT park in the lower northeast corner of The Dunn Center – North lot as it also floods, as well as the far northeast end of the Boddie Hall lot. Security will be on duty 24 hours a day, if needed, call 252.406.7928.

FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
North Carolina Wesleyan University’s emergency response team, led by Director of Safety Wayne Sears, is continuing to closely monitor and assess the impact Nicole may have on the University. Weather updates and/or changes to this current plan will be communicated through Blackboard alerts, email, social media, and ncwc.edu. Recorded updates can also be obtained by calling 252.985.5463

Note: The safety of the NC Wesleyan University community is our highest priority.