Rain is gone cleanup from storm damage could take weeks
The rain is gone, but North Carolina isn't out of the woods yet as many remain without power and facing storm damage to clean up.
Winds that gusted up to 50 mph most of Friday morning put trees at risk to fall with the ground still saturated from Thursday's heavy rains. Most of the area got more than an inch of precipitation. Several school districts closed or delayed school because of unsafe traveling conditions for buses.
WATCH: Wind takes carport away off Six Forks Road in Raleigh
In Cary, Donna Rogers came home from a doctor's appointment to see a massive oak tree jutting into her home.
"I broke down. I lost it. It was devastating to me," Rogers told ABC11's Ed Crump. "That's my home, you know, that's my home. Both the kids were born and raised there."
Her two adult sons were inside Thursday when the tree came crashing down into the roof of the two-story home but fortunately were both downstairs.
"On a normal day, my oldest son would have been home for lunch and laying down to rest for a little bit, and he would have been laying in that bed," Rogers said, "and he would not have made it."
The Rogers' close call was repeated across the Triangle.
In Raleigh, several large trees narrowly missed houses where people were home. Others took a direct hit but remarkably, so serious injuries were reported.
And In Fayetteville, floodwater trapped residents inside their homes on Wayland Drive.
Flood warnings remain in effect for many counties.
On Friday, Gov. Roy Cooper authorized transportation waivers to allow utility companies to bring repair crews from out of state to help restore power.
"Though the worst of the rain is over, flooded roads and downed trees remain hazards," Gov. Cooper said. "All of us need to help local emergency responders by avoiding flooded roads and downed power lines."
As of 7 p.m., more than 33,000 homes and businesses across the state remained without power,
The governor cautioned people not to touch or drive across any downed power lines and to report power outages to their utility company.
ABC11 Chief Meteorologist Chris Hohmann said that winds will diminish Friday night and temperatures will fall into the 27-31 degrees range.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND DELAYS
- Alamance-Burlington Schools are closed
- Wake County Schools are closed
- Lee County Schools are closed
- Franklin County Schools are closed
- Person County Schools are closed
- Granville County Schools are closed
- Durham County Schools are closed
- Orange County Schools are closed
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are closed
- Vance County Schools are closed
- Johnston County Schools are opening on a two-hour delay
- Warren County Schools are opening on a two-hour delay
- Halifax County Schools are opening on a two-hour delay
Greensboro reported a wind gust of 53 mph early Friday. Fort Bragg has recorded 50 mph winds as well.
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The National Weather Service reported that the strongest winds would occur from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., with particularly heavy winds along and east of U.S. Route 1.
RELATED | Crews restore power to parts of NC after storms as residents report damage, flooding
River flooding is also a concern. A Flood Warning was out for the Little River at Manchester in Cumberland County, the Neuse River in Johnston County and the Cape Fear River in Lillington.
There could be some light showers late Saturday afternoon and early evening but Sunday will be mostly sunny, Hohmann said.
